Sweet and Spice
by MizukixTsukiyomi
Summary: The culinary world isn't all about eating. Behind the kitchen wars of food and love are taken inside the ground of Totsuki Academy!
1. A New Path

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** Started a new story...oops. But this one has been in my mind for the longest time! So here it is! Now, I am not a chef nor do I know a lot of the culinary world, so don't rant me about some mistakes I do. This is my first time writing a story including Shokugeki no Soma so please be patient with me as I learn to understand the characters...

I truly recommend this series, although it can be a little weird, but it is good! It has potential!

Well, enjoy!

 **Chapter 01:** Savory Exam

* * *

' _I haven't been here in a long time…'_

Blue orbs scanned the surroundings of the narrow streets filled with small businesses, restaurants, and stands. Japan was growing and advancing, but these places always set her heart at ease to know Japan was not losing its old touch to history. It was not a crowded area, but people were lively as they walked past her and conversed on their day.

' _It has been a while since I have walked in Sumire Town,'_ a smile graced the miko's lips before raising a brow, _'but why are we here in the first place?_ ' Her eyes landed on the back of her mother, seeing her carry a few groceries she had bought at the local market. It was strange to her why her mother had suddenly asked her to go grocery shopping with her and had chosen one a few streets farther from the shrine.

"Ano, okaa-san?"

The older housewife blinked as she turned her head over her shoulder to see her oldest daughter giving her a questioning look while she carried a bag of groceries herself. The smile on her lips remained before giving a tilt of her head. "What is it, Kagome?"

"What are we doing all the way here? Is there something else you needed?" the miko questioned. She did not mind the distance, but it was a bit out of the ordinary to follow her mother far from the shrine.

"Well, since we are in the area, I thought of visiting _Shokudokoro Yukihira_ ," her mother replied before returning back to her path ahead.

Lost in her words, the miko was left in blinks as she continued to stare at her mother's back. _'Shokudokoro…Yukihira?'_ she repeated to herself. Kagome followed behind as her eyes wandered around to see people coming in and out of the small shops. "Why Yukihira?" she questioned.

"Don't tell me you have forgotten, Kagome?" her mother chuckled. "You practically loved eating there every day when you were a child."

"I know," Kagome replied, "but it has been years since the last time we came."

"Hmm, has it been five years already?" Kagome's mother tapped her chin with her free hand before sending her daughter a smile over her shoulder. "Well, it should do us good to visit old friends. Besides, it looked to me you needed to get your head cleared, Kagome. It doesn't do you any good to stay all day in the shrine."

The miko sighed under her breath as she lowered her eyes to the street. Her feet continued to walk her forward as thoughts ran inside her head. So her mother had seen the locks she had placed over herself. _'And it has been one month since the last time I crossed the well and failed to cross back,'_ her eyes scrunched at the memory of being separated from her friends the moment the last shard had been placed into the jewel. _'In the end, the moment Naraku was defeated and the jewel was complete, the well had taken me back.'_ The memory clenched her heart tightly as she remembered only seeing the shock on her friends' faces while being dragged back into the well. She did not think her journey would have been so short with all the dangers she had faced. The longest month of her life had finally come to an end, yet she felt her loneliness drag on. She did not show her discomfort of being in this era – she had no problems with it – but she just felt…lost. No goal in mind nor thrive to continue with her studies. The shrine contained all the memories she had of the feudal era and her dear friends; she did not see herself letting go.

"I wonder how much they have grown."

Her mother's voice rung in her ears as it brought her out of her thoughts. Raising a brow once again, she heard a chuckle escape her mother's throat. "Are you talking about Joichiro-san?"

"Ah, so you do remember. I was afraid you would have forgotten, Kagome."

"How can I forget someone that took care of me when you or oji-san couldn't," the miko chuckled back as her memories from long ago clicked back in. Although the memory was not as impactful as her traveling back in time, they were calm memories when she would see Shokudokoro Yukihira's owner bring magic to his amazing dishes. "Now that you mention it, I really have not had his food in a long time."

Kagome's mother nodded as she shifted the bag to her other hand before replying. "I remember how you and Sōma would always argue about Joichiro's and his cooking. For two young kids, you two would argue for days when you would pick Joichiro's plates."

The miko shuddered as she mentioned Joichiro's son. Of all people she had met in her life, Sōma was merciless when it came to making her try his new "creations". _'The last time I saw him, I remember him making me try his mackerel fish with pickled mayo sauce. The taste lingered in my mouth for a week. A week!'_ The taste was as if she had gone down a sewer with nothing but mackerel fish coming after her. The memory had haunted her as a kid!

"Well, here it is."

Blinking out her unpleasant memory, Kagome's eyes rose to see the familiar red sign over the restaurant. She blinked once more as she read the words inside her head: _'Yukihira…'_

The feeling was nostalgic as nothing but childhood memories came rushing back in her head. Despite having Sōma make her his own personal taster, she had come to learn a few things with his father. It was not much, but something to get her by in learning how to cook decent dishes. Hearing her mother slide the door open, she walked behind her before flashing her eyelashes at the sight of the busy restaurant. Cheers, laughter, and smiles filled the small area, yet the restaurant looked like the biggest home to the people.

"Sorry for intruding," smiled her mother as she made her way inside, "I do hope there is room for two."

The miko turned her head as she saw her mother making her way to the front of the counter. Seeing the male with his hair tied back, she immediately recognized his aura. The sight of his back as he moved his arms with the pans and adding ingredients sent another wave of nostalgia in her veins.

"Irashaimase-!" the dark haired chef blinked as he turned away from the pan and stared at the two black haired females standing at the entrance of his restaurant. It only took him a second to take in their appearances before a smile broke into his lips. "Well, well. If it isn't Higurashi-san. This is certainly a big surprise."

"I see you haven't stopped cooking," Kagome's mother chuckled before making her way to the front counter, "Joichiro-san."

The said chef snickered before turning his head to the miko coming to sit beside her mother. He took another blink before raising a brow at the sight of the grown daughter. "Oh?" he smirked. "Is that you, Kagome-chan? My have you grown! I remember when you were just at my hip. I see these years have made you as beautiful as your mother."

Kagome matched her smile with closed eyes as she took the compliment: "Arigatou, Joichiro-san." Even with the five years that had passed since last visiting Yukihira, she saw no difference in the chef's appearance. If anything, he looked younger than before.

"So what do I owe to this surprise visit?" Joichiro raised a brow before walking over to the frying pan behind him. "It has been five years, has it not, Higurashi-san?"

"I suppose so," she replied as her eyes traveled to see every customer's joyfulness with every bite they took, "but I wanted to bring Kagome here."

"Okaa-san…," whispered the miko, not wanting to put an image of a child self to the chef in front of her. It was not like she had known they were coming here!

Releasing another chuckle, Joichiro placed the meal onto a bowl before placing it to the customer next to the miko. A smile stretched onto his lips as he saw the glow in Kagome's eyes. It had been a long time since she had seen his cooking and no doubt it had brought memories when he would serve her before restaurant hours. He had made her feel like a VIP guest. "So what will be today?" he asked, turning his attention to the two women.

"Hmm, well whatever you can think of that can remind us of this place," Kagome's mother smiled in reply as Kagome noticed the nod coming from Joichiro.

"Alright, then I know exactly what to make," Joichiro tightened the white sash around his waist as he looked to his right and cupped his hand to the side of his lips. "Sōma! We have a special order!"

The miko blinked as her ears caught the sound of shuffling pans and boxes at the back of the restaurant before setting her eyes on the incoming red head. Kagome jumped slightly as she saw the smirk plastered on his face before he pointed his finger towards the chef.

"Yosh! Today will be the day, oyaji! I am going to win!"

"Calm down," Joichiro sighed, "this is no challenge, Sōma."

"Huh?" the named male lowered his finger as he was left at a blank blink. "Not a challenge?"

"I know you were taking your break, but we have special guests and I need some help," Joichiro tilted his head to the side in a signal. "Looks like we a serving a special we haven't had in a long time."

Sōma blinked before turning his head to the "guests". He blinked once more as he caught sight of the two black haired females sitting on the other side of the counter. Raising a brow, he scratched his cheek in confusion: "Who are they?" The chef sighed as he remembered how clueless his son could be when it came to other people.

"Sōma-kun?"

The red head blinked as he heard his name being called before turning to the owner of the voice. His yellow orbs made contact with the cerulean hue before tilting his head to the side once again, he walked forward until he faced the girl. "Oi, you're-"

"My, my, Sōma-kun! You have grown!" Kagome's mother cut in as she saw the confusing look on the red head's face. "I see you have been taking your father's looks."

"Oyaji?" he chuckled before placing his hands on his hips. "I look nothing like him!" His laugh died down as his confusion came rushing in once again, "ano…dare?"

Joichiro shook his head as he grabbed the noodles from the fridge before placing them over the cutting board. "Sōma, don't tell me you forgot about them."

"Ah!" Sōma pointed his finger at the miko as he finally placed the puzzle pieces together in his head. How could he forget those blue eyes? He could never forget the little girl that admired his father's cooking and never wanted to try his own. "Kago-chan!"

"Oi," the miko's eyes narrowed as she caught the nickname, "we are not young anymore. Call me by my name."

"Woah~ I haven't seen you in years," he chuckled before crossing his arms. "It was like you suddenly disappeared. Don't tell me I scared you off with that mackerel?"

The miko's eyebrow came to a twitch as her tongue came back to remember the horrid taste of the fish. So he did remember the last dish he had given her! "I should sue you for that," she glared.

"Eh~," he raised a cocky eyebrow at the threat, "that was five years ago, Kago-chan. Don't tell me you still remember the taste?"

Oh how much she wanted to give him a hit on the top of his head! Before she could go into her decided action, she stopped at the sound of Joichiro's voice calling for his son's attention. "Sōma, start to boil the water. They are special guests and they should be served the best."

"What are we making?" Sōma questioned as he unwrapped the white sash from his wrist.

"Kagome-chan's special," he smirked back as he grabbed his kitchen knife before turning his back to the women.

Sōma chuckled back as he gave Kagome a thumbs up. "As much as I love to make you try my new creations, I guess I can make you a special dish to make you remember Yukihira!"

The miko watched as the red head wrapped the white sash around his forehead before tying up another white sash around his waist. She could not help but be awed by how swiftly Sōma and his father would move around the kitchen without missing their rhythm. Their concentration was one-hundred percent into their task and they showed their love for their talent right through their eyes and movements. Memories of her past flooded in as she remembered sitting at the other side of the counter alone and watching Sōma show her flip an omelet over the burner as his father showed her how to cut vegetables in a quick manner. Seeing the matching long sleeve shirts and the restaurant logo on their backs, Kagome had realized how much Sōma had grown into following his father's footsteps.

"He has grown, hasn't he?"

Kagome turned her head to her mother's whisper, seeing her smile at the sight she had been observing. Before the feudal era, she had thought it was weird of her mother stopping in her visits to Yukihira, but once her own adventure started, the only thing in her mind was her feudal family.

"Here ya go! Kagome-chan's special!"

Upon hearing Joichiro's voice, both females lowered their eyes to see the steaming bowl of udon. Not only did the broth look steamy, but the choice of vegetables and meat Joichiro and Sōma had used had her speechless. Their techniques had improved! Her lips watered slightly as the smell rose to her nose. The aroma was intoxicating itself and had her grabbing the chopsticks automatically.

"Ah, you remembered Kagome's favorite dish," smiled her mother as she separated her chopsticks. "So many years and these two still remember your favorite food, Kagome."

"How could we forget when that is all she would eat here?" Sōma smirked as he leaned closer to the miko.

Kagome's eyes lowered to a dead-fish expression before she came to grab the red head's nose between her fingers and pinched it. "I had to take off the taste of your horrible dishes, baka. Remember to respect those older than you."

"Oi!" he pulled away, giving her a glare. "You are only a few months older than me don't be using that to your advantage!"

"So, Kagome-chan, what high school are you attending?" blinked the chef, breaking the argument of the two before Sōma found himself at the girl's mercy. Despite Sōma using her as a taste tester, Kagome held her ground well against him. But the moment he had seen her walk into his restaurant, the life in her cerulean orbs almost seemed…dry. He blinked again as he saw the small stiffness occur on the miko's shoulders as the noodles slipped through her chopsticks.

The miko's mother chuckled nervously as she caught the attention of the two males. "Unfortunately, Kagome did not make it into any high schools due to her grades."

"Eh?" blinked Joichiro. He was sure the girl was smart even at a young age.

Kagome's nerve popped out into a twitch as she heard Sōma stifle a laugh behind his hand. Delivering a glare to the red head, she was ready to stab her chopsticks into him. Years had passed and he was still his old self.

The main chef sighed before giving out a smirk of his own to the miko: "don't worry, Kagome-chan. Sōma is on the same boat as you."

"Eh~," the miko grinned at the information as she turned to see the look of shock on Sōma's expression, "so you are still a baka?"

"Oi! Oyaji! I told you it was my choice to not go to a high school!" he exclaimed before turning around and walking heavily to the other side of the counter as he mumbled words of 'I am not a baka' and 'oyaji needs to keep his mouth shut'.

The miko's mother nodded as she returned her attention to the chef in front of her before parting her lips to speak. "So I am guessing he decided to learn cooking here at the restaurant?"

"That is what he wants," Joichiro exhaled as he crossed his arms, "but I think he should go for Tōtsuki Culinary Academy."

Hearing the foreign school reach her ears, Kagome was once again stopped from giving her thanks to the food. _'Tōtsuki…Culinary Academy?'_ she questioned herself as she observed the two adults from the corner of her eyes. She never heard of that school before. But the last thing she needed to feel was sympathy for the red head after the teasing. The two got along, but they were perfect when it came to annoying each other. It did not even seem like they had been separated for five years. The aura around them was comfortable and calm. Kagome raised a brow as she lowered her chopsticks: "But even if Sōma-kun didn't want to enter a high school, that shouldn't interfere with his idiotic mind in making gross dishes."

"Eh~ want to repeat that, Kago-chan."

"I told you to stop calling me that-!" the miko's eyes shot wide as she came to stare at a small grilled squid tentacle drenched in something she did not want to know. Kagome quickly pressed her lips together already seeing where this was going. Even the glint in his eyes was telling her to run. She gave him a glare while speaking through a small gap between her lips: "You better not, Sōma-kun."

"Don't you want to try my special squid tentacles dressed with peanut butter?" the dark aura around him grew as his intentions only became bolder with the tentacle coming closer to her lips.

Kagome shook her head, wanting nothing more than shoot an arrow at the baka! Could she not just enjoy her udon in peace!? She did not want to come back to this torture! This was not the type of reunion she thought of! She was a weak girl before, but now she was sure she could flip him over a table.

"I knew seeing him would lift your spirits, Kagome," chuckled her mother, receiving a choke from her daughter.

"N-Nani!?" she exclaimed, turning to her mother's gentle smile.

"Itadakimasu!"

The miko's eyes widened as she heard Sōma's voice surrounded with laughter before he pushed the tentacle into her mouth before he pulled the chopsticks away. The color of her skin drained completely pale as the life in her eyes was completely sucked out of her. Her body was feeling constricted by the feeling of disgust; the taste was violating her. Finally having swallowed the horrid taste, her eyes tightened into a glare before grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and bringing him close. "You want to die, don't you?! Can't you be normal and greet people with a smile or something!?"

"Eh~," he smirked, "I thought this was our special way of greeting each other."

"Want me to return the favor?" she smirked back as she grabbed a tentacle herself and pushed it past his lips. She found it amusing to see his own eyes roll back as the taste melted into his tongue. Revenge was sweet alright.

"Those two have always been a lively bunch when put in the same room," Kagome's mother chuckled as she whispered her words to Joichiro. Seeing the smile and life return to her daughter soothed her soul. But of course, Yukihira's cooking always found a way to make her daughter smile since she was small. "Your son will grow to be a great chef someday," she continued, turning to face the chef in front of her. "You should push him to attend Tōtsuki."

"That is the plan," he smirked, placing his hand over his hip. "Does Kagome-chan have an interest in cooking by any chance?"

"Well," her mother turned her head back to the arguing duo, "she has the talent of her father to cook, but she never got around to sharpen her skills after…some events happened." Hearing the sound of papers, Kagome's mother blinked as she saw Joichiro push a few papers her way beside her bowl of food. "What is this?" she questioned.

"Tōtsuki's Culinary transfer information. They will be holding their transfer exam in a few days. You should tell her to go," he smiled, seeing the older female grab the sheets of paper and the brochure below. "Besides those two always bickering, they do make an interesting pair," he chuckled as his eyes landed on the miko being forced with another tentacle, "and let's not forget Kagome-chan does have the talent to pour her emotions into her cooking and making others feel what she felt during her cooking." Joichirou sighed as he looked at his son. "My son needs to learn that the true trick to become a good chef is to meet a woman you want to devote all of your cooking to, but I guess he won't learn that until he gets older."

Kagome's mother nodded to herself before turning her head to the side and seeing Sōma and her daughter see the fallen tentacle on her udon before breaking into a bigger fit. "That is how you and my husband won us over," she laughed at the ancient memory. "I think her father would be proud to see her go into Tōtsuki. I will speak to her about it."

* * *

Releasing a low sigh under her breath, Kagome close her eyes as she placed her pencil down on her desk. She tilted her head side-to-side while hearing pops of soreness from her joints. Who knew sitting all day to study for high school entrance exams could tire you out. She was lucky enough to find a school that had later entrance exams than the others.

Of course, it was not the best school academically, but it was better than nothing. _'I don't know how well I am going to do, though. Math is really going to be my weakest point.'_ She never regretted going to the feudal era, but she never realized how much it had pushed her back in her own era.

A knock on her door called out her attention: "Come in!"

Watching her mother slowly open the door to her room, she blinked as she saw her holding a few papers in hand. "Okaa-san? Do you need something?"

"No," she shook her head with a smile, "I simply came to see how you were doing, dear. Looks like studying really is taking its toll on you, huh?"

"Well, I need to catch up on a lot of material," Kagome sighed once more as she rested her cheek over her palm. "Didn't think I would be this behind. Teaching myself is a lot harder than you think."

"I know, dear." The miko's mother watched the scattered text and note books all over her daughter's desk and even some on her bed. There was doubt Kagome was spending long hours studying with little sleep. Looking at the papers in her hands, she was unsure if her daughter would accept her idea.

Kagome noticed her mother's silence and the long stare she gave at the mysterious papers. Raising a brow, Kagome spoke out: "what are those, okaa-san?"

"Huh? Oh, these were given to me by Joichirou-san." Handing the papers to her daughter, she smiled as she saw her looking inside the brochure. "Joichirou-san thought it was the best idea to put his son inside the academy. I think you should give it a try, Kagome."

"Okaa-san…this is a culinary academy," Kagome whispered as her eyes took in the pictures of the many chefs, kitchens, and the academy's symbol. She did not even think Japan had such a high standing culinary school for high school students. "I can't do this, okaa-san."

Kagome's mother frowned as she watched her close the brochure and place it on her desk. "I know this isn't in your comfort zone, but I believe you can do well. You have cooking skills that you learned from Joichirou-san, remember?"

"I haven't cooked like him in over five years now."

"Take it as a challenge, Kagome. I am sure it will do you well; there is no harm in trying. Joichirou-san is going to push Sōma-kun to do it." Hearing no reply from her daughter, she exhaled before she turned around to walk towards the door. "The exams are tomorrow; it is up to you if you want to go, Kagome."

Hearing the door close, Kagome returned to her math problems. Her eyes gave the brochure a few glances from time-to-time, and the more she stared, the more curious she was to see what this academy was about. She reached for the brochure once more and looked at the title.

' _Well…if Sōma-kun is going…I guess there is no harm in seeing what this is all about. Not that I would be able to make it in with my skills.'_

* * *

"Ah! Kagome-chan!"

Looking up from her map, the miko blinked as she heard her name being called out. Kagome blinked once more at the sight of the Yukihira restaurant owner walking towards her with a suitcase as he waved at with a grin.

"Yukihira-san, ohayo," she bowed.

"I see you are up early," he chuckled with his grin. Noticing the familiar blue brochure in her hands along with a map, Joichirou could not help but let his grin grow. "Going to Totsuki, huh? Was your mother able to convince you?"

Kagome's eyes dropped back down to the papers in hand. All night she could not help but look over the brochure and read over the many accomplishments Totsuki had made as a culinary school. After finalizing her decision, she thought there would be no harm in seeing what this academy had to offer. Perhaps what she needed was a different routine in her life.

"Well, Sōma is going. He wasn't so happy hearing that I would be closing down the restaurant for some time."

"You're…closing the restaurant?" the miko blinked, taken back by the news. She had overheard the conversation the other day of Sōma's plan to remain in the restaurant to enhance his skills. No doubt Sōma was taken back his own father's news.

"Not forever," Joichirou chuckled, "just giving myself some time. I am planning to go around the world to study on my own and cook. It is something I have always wanted to do."

A small smile formed on the miko's lips as she heard Joichirou's words. In all her years of seeing and knowing Sōma's father, this was the first time he had ever spoken to her about his own dreams. Her inner thoughts were broken off as soon as she felt his hand give her a gentle pat over her head.

"I wish you the best of luck, Kagome-chan. I know you will do great." Walking past the miko, he chuckled as he whispered his last words. "Make your father proud."

Kagome looked over her shoulder, confused over Joichirou's last words that had been covered by the passing wind. Seeing the older man walking down the street while rolling his suitcase, Kagome sighed with a smile before she came back to look at the brochure at hand.

* * *

The sight of limos, butlers, and fancy clothes greeted the miko to make her feel very unwelcoming. Never in her life had she been surrounded by many "rich" people. Was she even in the right place? Making her way – carefully – through the crowd of many incoming transfer students, she tried her best to not bump into any of them. Just looking at them made her feel unwelcoming to talk to them.

' _Where the heck is the entrance anyways-?'_ Her eyes immediately caught the familiar flaming red spiky hair walking a few feet in front of her. Looking at the white sash tied around the male's wrist, Kagome's eyebrow rose as she saw him carrying a school bag over his shoulder.

"Ha! Paying to learn how to cook is so stupid. A culinary school is going to consist of an old man showing us the fundamentals of using a knife!"

"Sōma-kun?"

Hearing his name, the red haired male stopped in his steps before he looked over his shoulder to see his childhood friend walking towards him. He blinked blankly the moment he noticed her having the same brochure as himself. "Kago-chan? What are you doing here-?!" Sōma's eyes scrunched the moment Kagome's fingers pinched his nose. "Oi! What gives!?"

"Stop calling me that!"

The young Yukihira rubbed his nose as he gave the miko a scowl. Why was she greeting him with such actions when all he ever gave her was kind words? He huffed: "what are you doing here, Ka-go-me?"

She did not miss the pinch of sarcasm in her name, but decided to let it slide as she had enough to deal with. Before she could answer Sōma's question, the yell of a male student a few feet away caught their attention.

"I failed the advancement test! I'm done for! My life is over!"

The two blinked in silence as they were taken back by the male's cry as he had fallen on to his knees with hands scratching at his scalp. The voice of an older male made them turn around to see a bodyguard with the Totsuki's symbol around his arm glaring at the male on his knees.

"I beg you!" the older male shouted, tightening his hold on the bodyguard's clothing. "I will donate ten million, or even twenty million! Just take back my son's expulsion!"

"W-What's going on?" Sōma questioned with hesitation.

Turning her head towards the double wooden doors, Kagome caught the official sign of the academy written in ink over a wooden plank. "Totsuki…Teahouse Culinary Academy."

Sōma quickly dove his hand inside his pocket as he brought out his cell. Speed dialing his father, the red head's eyes widened as he looked at the tall and fancy buildings that were clearly for intimidation – right?

" _Ah, Sōma! Have you arrived?"_

The sound of his father's voice brought him out of his staring as Sōma quickly opened his mouth. "You didn't tell me this school was for a bunch a rich kids! I am totally out of place here!"

" _That's Japan's top culinary school, with a graduation rate of less than 10%."_

Snatching the phone away from Sōma's hand, Kagome gave the phone a glare as she had overheard Joichirou's voice. "Less than 10%!? I can't even get into a school! How the heck am I supposed to even get out of one!"

" _Well, it's a super elite institution. I am sure you two can manage it! Both of you will be taking the transfer admission exam for one of the best culinary schools in the country. Wishing you all luck-_ _ **Hey, Jo! Please wait a moment!**_ _"_

The two blinked as they heard the foreign language being used by Sōma's father. Standing close to the miko, Sōma blinked as he stared at the phone in the miko's hand as she had placed him on speaker. "Oi, where are you right now, Oyaji?"

" _I am headed to New York City. I am at the airport right now being escorted by a few old friends. The Manhattan Royal Hotel has invited me as VIP chef to cook in the reception hall. That is where I will be cooking. I will be going to Italy, then Spain."_

"Huh?" Sōma blinked, "I don't think I am following well."

"What can you follow?" the miko looked at the red headed with dead fish eyes.

"Uruse, Kago-chan!"

" _Ma, ma!"_ Joichirou chuckled through the phone. _"No need to get rowdy with each other. You two should be getting along. But…let me tell you something, S_ ō _ma. If you can't survive that academy until graduation, you can kiss your hopes of surpassing me goodbye as a pipe dream."_

Trembling with a smirk, Sōma threw his fist up in the air as he heard the challenge. "Just watch me, old man!"

The miko sweat dropped with a smile upon witnessing Sōma's little rant to defeat his father. Left with the phone in hand, she sighed before she heard Joichirou's voice once more.

" _Kagome-chan?"_

"Uh, hai, Yukihira-san?"

" _Do take care of my son for me. He can get a little out of hand and open his mouth without thinking."_

Kagome's memory quickly flashed back to the many times the young Sōma would bad mouth a bully or a harsh critic to his food. Of course he would always carry a small container of his "delicious" treats to shut them up. "Can't make promises, Joichirou-san," she chuckled, "but he is in good hands."

" _Arigatou, Kagome-chan. Also…take care of yourself, too. You deserve a happy life, Kagome-chan."_

Staring at the phone with a few blinks, Kagome was at a loss to speak as she heard the concern and smile behind his voice for her.

" _The future holds many mysteries, but only challenging those fears can take you somewhere far. Ah! I need to board now! Good luck you two!"_

"Yeah….have a safe flight…," Kagome whispered with only the echoing sound of hung call going through the speaker.

* * *

"Dammit."

Hearing the grumble following the curse, Kagome looked to her side as she saw the scowl over Sōma's expression. After having the talk with his father and entering the gates, his whole demeanor had changed. Looking around her surroundings, Kagome could not help but feel intimidated by the many students that were present for the transfer exams.

"What's wrong with you?" she questioned with a raised brow as both continued down their path.

"A pipe dream?" he scoffed. "Yeah, right. I will definitely make it to graduation, dammit!"

Sōma kicked the edge of the bench as he quickly heard a light gasp from the butler standing at the other end. The miko jumped at the action as her eyes scanned forward and noticed a blonde male holding a tea cup as his butler held the fancy white tea pot.

"A-Ah, sumimazen!" Kagome bowed seeing the blonde smiling upon feeling the kick's vibrations. Sending Sōma a glare, she quickly elbowed him on his side before forcing him down into a bow. "This guy doesn't know any better. He is just a little nervous. Right, Sōma-kun?"

"R-Right…," he whispered, "gomen. I didn't see you there."

The blonde boy turned his head to the two as he held his smile. "No need to apologize. I can understand the nerves. You two are also applying for a transfer, right? Why don't you two take a seat?"

Both Kagome and Sōma glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes. Giving out a shrug, Sōma was the first to sit beside the unknown male as Kagome came afterwards. She exhaled out her nerves as her eyes took in the sight of what looked like middle school students coming out of their own entrance exams.

"With high school qualifying exam results being announced for Totsuki's junior high school, and exams being held for people like us hoping to transfer in, things are pretty lively today," the blonde male spoke. "Ah, where are my manners. I'm Nikaido Yoshiaki. My family runs a French restaurant."

"Eh~, what a coincidence," Sōma spoke, "mine runs a restaurant, too."

Nikaido gave out a chuckle: "that may not be such a coincidence. That guy on the far right is the heir to a national restaurant chain, and the one next to him, his family runs a seafood wholesale business that supplies the entire Kanto region. Almost everyone here has a cooking industry pedigree of some sort."

"Well that explains the luxury," Kagome nodded.

"What's your place's name?" Nikaido questioned, turning his eyes to the observant Sōma.

"Oh, Yukihira."

"Yukihira? A traditional Japanese restaurant, then?"

Giving out a laugh, Sōma waved his hand up and down, "oh, we are not that high-brow. We are a diner downtown-"

Kagome jumped back as she saw the red head being kicked away by Nikaido. Turning her head to the fallen Yukihira, Kagome stood up from her seat as she knelt down to check if Sōma was alright. A rise of angered aura caught her attention; she turned her head towards Nikaido to see the dark glare on his expression. "O-Oi! What was that for-!?"

"How dare you sit next to _me,_ you low-class commoner!" he shouted. "Listen up! This academy isn't for the likes of you! It is a sacred grove, meant as a place of learning for denizens of the upper echelons of the food industry! That's the kind of place Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy is! A low-born like you won't even make it past the written exam!"

Kagome felt her chest heave with anger as she allowed Nikaido run his mouth. How dare he?! Furrowing her eyebrows to every word he spewed out, she finally came to stand in front of his person as she dug her index finger into his chest. "What give you the right to insult us like that!? Yukihira is not a low-commoner restaurant!"

Scoffing at the miko's words, Nikaido stood his ground. "Get your poor-looking face away from mine-!" The words were physically cut from his throat as he felt a pair of fists grab onto the collar of his shirt and bringing him up from the ground.

"You haven't even tried Yukihara's food! You don't get to judge our quality!" Sōma spoke as a tick pulsed over his forehead. "And don't go insulting her like that!"

"Sōma-kun…"

"Only I can!"

"Oi!" she glared. Why did she even bother feeling sympathy for the boy?! Seeing Sōma drop the boy onto the floor without a care in the world, she blinked the moment she felt her wrist being grabbed. Dragged down the path they had been walking on, Kagome noticed the twitch in his eyebrow as more comments by other eavesdroppers were given.

"Look, someone from a _diner_ thinks he can transfer in."

"You have got to be kidding me. He should know his place."

Sōma cursed under his breath as he continued to pull the miko towards the direction of the exam. "This isn't giving me high hopes for this place."

"Well if this is how things are right off the bat, I can only imagine what the people inside this academy are like…," Kagome whispered as she took one last look over her shoulder. She was expecting like a home room setting school, but this looked like the palace of food!

* * *

Walking into the room, Kagome blinked as she saw the students inside already gathered at the front waiting for further instructions. Her eyes scanned the area, seeing nothing but gold chandeliers illuminating the fancy room. She thought after seeing the outside of the academy she would be prepared for anything else, but the inside had gotten her speechless.

' _Is this really the examination room? Talk about hospitality…'_

"Hey, is that…"

"That is her…what is she doing here?"

"Huh? What are they whispering about?" Sōma questioned with crossed arms. Raising a brow, he noticed the room go silent as incoming footsteps stopped. The two teens noticed a short pink haired female holding a clipboard to her chest as another wearing the Totsuki Academy uniform walked forward.

"Greetings, transfer applicants," the blonde female crossed her arms as she narrowed her eyes at the students in front of her. "I am Nakiri Erina, and I have been assigned to judge today's transfer exam."

"A girl…?" Sōma whispered.

The miko tilted her head to the side as observed the so called 'examiner'. "Isn't that the school uniform?" she blinked. She had to be no more than fifteen herself, right? How could a student be an examiner?

Erina turned her head towards her assistant: "any word from the exam division, Hisako?"

Raising the clipboard to her eyes, Hisako took in a deep breath as she parted her lips to give everyone their following instructions. "I'll read it now. Examinees will first undergo interviews in groups of ten based on their applications. They will then undergo a practicum where they will cook three or so dishes. Those who pass will-"

"Hmph. How pointless," Erina cut in. Having heard from the director to overlook one of the transfer exams, she felt it was her obligation to do so, but she hated the system. If they followed this method, they would be here forever as she had a feeling everyone's talents were not up to par with hers. A smirk adorned her lips as a thought occurred to her. "I have an idea." Looking over her shoulder, she noticed the kitchen work table already with a few cooking ingredients for her use.

"Cooking ingredients?" Kagome blinked in confusion. "What is she up to?" Was she really going to discard the formal exam?

Erina scanned the ingredients before the smirk returned. Reaching for the fragile shell, she turned towards her examinees. "The main ingredient will be the egg. Make one dish. I will only allow those whose creations impress my palate to transfer into the academy." Seeing the shock in their faces gave Erina the knowledge that she had presumed of them – they were not prepared to be the chefs they desired to be. "Furthermore, I will allow those who wish to withdraw and cancel their application to do within the next minute only."

"What?!" exclaimed a student. "One minute!?"

"I…I…withdraw!"

Both Sōma and Kaogme blinked as soon as students rushed out of the room – with occasional bumps to their shoulders – as they screamed in terror by only hearing Erina's voice. The two froze in shock as they witnessed the stampede coming towards them. This was not the exam they expected!

"E-Eh!?" Sōma exclaimed. Noticing the familiar blonde male running towards them, Sōma quickly grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from escaping. "Oi, wait!"

' _Ah…the pompous ass,'_ Kagome's eyebrow twitched at the sight of Nikaido.

"Why the hell are you all running!?" the young Yukihira questioned.

"Y-You don't know who _she_ is!?" Nikaido shouted in shock. How did they not know who this was!?

Kagome crossed her arms as she gave the blonde male a dead-eyed fish look. "Does it look like low-commoners would know who she is? But we don't mind listening to this story of yours now."

Nikaido gulped the moment he took a glance at the smirking 'queen'. "Nakiri Erina…has the finest palate known to mankind! A divine tongue! The God Tongue! Rumor has it that her first spoke words at three months old were criticizing her mother's milk! Given the small glimpse of her genius already present at birth, she has been asked to serve as the taste tester of famous restaurants nation-wide since a very young age. All the heavyweights in the food world are her clients! Her evaluations spread far and wide in the industry!"

"Huh?" Sōma blinked.

Taking a look at the blonde examiner, Kagome raised a brow. She did not look that intimidating. Why would they be intimidated over a person around their age? Looking back at Sōma holding Nikaido from the back of his collar shirt, she sweat dropped at the torture Sōma placed. Clearly he was oblivious to Nikaido wanting to run away from the terror.

"S-Should she brand you as an imbecile without any talent, your career in the food world would be over!"

Sōma finally gave him the freedom, both watching as Nikaido tripped on his feet before continuing in his run to flee the room.

"I figured most of them were hopeless incompetents," Erina sighed, moving her hair back to her shoulder. Seriously, why would they assign her to low examiners? "I can't be bothered to waste my time on such fools." Turning to her assistant, Erina raised a brow, "I believe I have cleared my schedule for the day?"

"Uh, hai."

With a nod, Erina gave Hisako a smile, "I will now test new dishes in my private quarters."

Hisako gasped as she heard Erina's words. A blush hued over her cheeks with every step Erina came to take towards her. _'Erina-sama's new dish…'_ Her mouth watered at the thought of even coming to witness the new creations Erina could make with her godly talent.

"What's the matter, Hisako? You look…," lifting Hisako's chin with her fingers, Erina released a soft chuckle, "like you want something."

"Oh, no, well…"

"Would you like the privilege of trying my cooking?" the queen questioned with a smirk.

"I-I would!"

Snickering at the sight of her assistant, Erina's eyes narrowed, "we first need to repost that no one passed."

The corner of the miko's lip twitched upon witnessing the 'romantic' free show both she and Sōma had been given. Were they invisible or something? Leaning towards the red head beside her, she cupped the side of her lips with one hand, "should we…interrupt them?"

Scoffing, Sōma placed his hands inside his pockets having overheard Erina's overrule that no one had passed when he had not even been given the chance to try the challenge. "Ano, so are there no other restrictions on the dish?"

The two females went wide eyed at the sight of the transfer examiners. Narrowing her eyes into a tight slight, Erina turned to the two. _'What?'_ she blinked, noticing the red headed male and long haired female standing before her. ' _I…have two challengers?'_ She had expected at least one, but two? Were they mocking her? Erina stood her ground, keeping her eyes on the two teens. "Hisako."

"Hai?"

"Lead them to the kitchen."

* * *

"As long as you use eggs, you can make anything you want."

From the corner of her eyes, Kagome took in her surroundings to see the nicely installed kitchen. Of course an upstanding academy such as this had the best for their students. Why was she even here? She could have turned back. Oh right, Sōma grabbed her by her sleeve and brought here by force the minute she shifted her weight to turn back.

' _Damn him. I am going to make him pay one day.'_

"Are you sure you two want to do this?" Erina questioned, crossing her arms. "You two should withdraw while you-"

"Man! I was really worried!" Sōma exclaimed, placing his hand over Erina's shoulder. "I thought you would have failed us before we even got to cook!"

Kagome sighed, noticing the irritation on Erina's face upon feeling Sōma's hand land on her person. Sōma had to learn more than just keeping his mouth shut. Shaking her head, she rested her hands over her hips, _'baka.'_

"Back away!" Hisako shouted, pushing the red head away from the queen. "Do you know who she is!?"

"Well "Nikamo" said something, but I am not sure," he blinked.

"Nikaido, idiot," the miko sighed.

Hisako stood in front of Erina as her extended arm dropped back down to her side. "She is the top of her class in the junior high division, and the youngest member of the Totsuki Elite Ten Council, the highest decision-making body in the academy, in the academy's history: Nakiri Erina-sama!"

"Whoa~ this is a fine tool," Sōma spoke, having turned around from the introduction and looked into a drawer full of sharped knifes. "Kagome, look at these!"

Erina's assistant huffed upon being ignored by the two. Shaking her head, she looked into her clipboard and found both of their profiles. "Hm, Yukihira Sōma."

"His family runs a diner, huh?" Erina whispered. "He is obviously a second-rate cook. He doesn't understand my noble pedigree, just like a stray dog would have no idea of a gemstone's value."

Hisako's eyes widened as she found Kagome's application behind the others. "Erina-sama…," handing the sheet to the blonde chef, her eyes were mimicked.

"Her cooking history and knowledge is…empty?" Erina's eyes rose to the miko, watching her being shown knifes by the red head. _'What would she be doing here?'_

Erina released a frustrated sigh as she saw the two clearly free out of worries. One would be trembling out of nerves over the challenge, but the two were calm as untouched water. "Are you two really going to take _my_ exam?"

"Huh?" Sōma blinked. "Well," throwing the knife up in the air, he grabbed another from the drawer, "I just have to make you say it tastes good, right? Are you ready, Kago-chan?"

The miko looked up into the air, seeing the thrown knife coming back down. Without a flinch, Kagome caught the knife by the handle and gave the young Yukihira a glare. "You better drop that nickname before I slice you with this."

Watching Sōma take off his jacket and tie the white sash around his forehead, Kagome sighed as she walked over to the ingredients and grabbed an egg from the bowl. _'What should I even make?'_ She was not intimidated by Erina, but cooking something that was deemed worthy for restaurant-like shook her. Taking a look to her right, she noticed her childhood friend beginning to chop green onions in a flash. Kagome pouted as her eyes took in every move the Yukihira male made into cooking. Of course she could never cook like him or his father, but what decent dish could _she_ make?

She closed her eyes as she pictured eggs in her mind. What could she make with eggs? Her memory flashed to her feudal days, remembering Kaede having taught her a dish during a cold winter afternoon. With only the food they had stored, she was able to make an egg dish for her group. _'It could work…,'_ she thought to herself. Grabbing the chicken, shrimp, and mushrooms from the table, she headed over to her own work station and began to season the meats.

"Eggs are a fundamental ingredient in Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine, across all culinary genres," Hisako whispered, watching the two mysterious students focus on their dishes. What had occurred them to challenge Erina in the first place? Were they really clueless about Totsuki? _'What will they serve to Erina-sama, who tastes haute egg cuisine on a daily basis?'_

Sōma stole a glance at the miko from the corner of his eyes as he saw Kagome pouring the egg mixture into a sieve onto another bowl. Unlike him, her style of cooking was gentle, but effective on time. He was aware of her low confidence in cooking, but he had come to taste some of her own creations and he had to admit…they were delicious in their own way. Chuckling to himself, he took off the lid from one of his pots, _'I haven't seen Kagome cook like this in a long time. It sure is nostalgic to see her cooking in the same kitchen as me.'_

Raising a brow at both of their moves, Erina noticed both of them having beaten the eggs. _'Beaten eggs, huh?'_ She looked at the stoves, noticing both having something steaming inside their pots, _'but I have no idea what dishes they are working towards.'_ She took a few steps forward, stopping across from the miko's working table. "Higurashi Kagome, was it? What is it that you are making?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked, looking up from the small cups she was placing chicken and shrimp inside. "Well, I don't even know."

"Huh?" Erina's eyebrow twitched. "What do you mean you don't know!? A chef should always know what they are making!"

"I haven't made this dish in a long time," Kagome sighed, looking at the cups sitting on the work table. "I mean, at least not by myself."

"Listen, Higurashi, I don't have the time to waste on ill-conceived food. I am asking if you have any intention of making a dish that is suitable for my palate!"

Hearing a chuckle from the side, both females looked over to see Sōma giving them a smirk as he stopped in the process of beating his eggs. "I can tell you mine if you are so curious about us. What I am making is the eighth item on Yukihira Diner's secret menu! Furikake Gohan (Rice with seasoning)!"

All three females were left with blank blinks as the image of a rice bowl and seasoning being sprinkled over was placed inside their minds. "Furikake…gohan?" the miko raised a brow. Was Sōma just teasing? There was no way he could making something so simple for this woman, then again, hers was just as simple.

"Cut the crap!" Erina shouted, slamming her hand over the work table. "Both of you are bottom-feeding cooks! What a waste of time."

"Well, maybe you should wait and see. This is about taste after all," Kagome cut in as she gained the attention of the two females across. Walking to the stove, Kagome placed the cups of chicken and shrimp covered in the egg mixture inside steaming water after having covered them with plastic wrap.

Cutting his secret ingredient on the cutting board, Sōma raised a brow as he saw the miko staring at the cups inside the pot. "How much longer, Kagome?"

"Hmm, about five more minutes."

"Alright! I am almost done in my station, too!" Placing the scrambled egg inside a bowl, Yukihira was the first to present the dish to the queen. "Dig in!"

Both Erina and Hisako stared at with disappointment to see the natural and bland looking scrambled egg inside the squared-like bowl. Hisako leaned in for a closer look, noticing that nothing special was in the dish. _'It really is ordinary…'_

Erina huffed, crossing her arms as she rejected even the sight of the presentation. "In the end, it is still the work of a second-rate cook. It fails to arouse my appetite. My palate has been called the God Tongue. Only the most elaborate and refined haute cuisine graces my dinner table. Indeed, I reside in a gourmet paradise! This exam is over."

Sōma watched as she began to turn away from his dish, making him smirk. "But you haven't seen its true form yet."

"What do you mean?" she glared back.

Taking out the white ceramic cups from the steaming water, Kagome blinked as she noticed the red head bringing out a bowl of white rice. As Sōma moved the scrambled egg from having picked up the bowl, she noticed the gel like substance underneath.

"Well, keep your eyes peeled," he spoke, seeing Erina taking a few steps back towards is station. "The true value of rice seasoning is only apparent once it's served on white rice!" He pushed the bowl of white rice in front of the queen before he allowed the scrambled egg and gel squares drop onto the hot rice.

Kagome was awed by the sparkle the gelatin created before it melted over the egg, coating it into something new. The smell of chicken wafted around the room, making her lips water just from the smell. _'Chicken?'_ she blinked. Watching Erina slowly bring the chopsticks to her mouth, Kagome was taken back by the sudden silence until a light blush appeared over her cheeks. After having gone for a second tasting along with Yukihira's teasing, Kagome noticed the way Erina's body quivered after having the second taste.

"Did you use aspic?" Kagome blinked, seeing the scrambled egg completely covered in the gelatin substance.

"That's it," Sōma spoke. "The squares are aspic made from chicken wingtips. Aspic is formed when meat or fish broth with high gelatin content congeals into jelly. I simmered chicken wingtips with bonito stock, sake, and light soy sauce, then finely chopped the aspic once it cooled and solidified. When sprinkled over hot rice, the aspic melts and the gelatinous broth coats the egg soboro. This is Yukihira cooking!"

Who knew Sōma had become so knowledgeable in all corners of cooking. She would have never even thought of making aspic melt onto egg.

"It's….it's…disgusting!" Erina shouted, making both Kagome and Sōma jump from her blushing critique.

"E-Eh!?" The color in Sōma's face drained as he thought he had won her over with the taste. Where had he gone wrong!? The red head's palms dropped onto the table as his head hung in despair.

"You!" Erina pointed at the miko, making her jolt from the sudden shout. "If you disappoint me, I will make sure both of you never set foot on this academy!"

Kagome gulped as she watched Erina walking towards her small cup. She was not surprised to see Erina looking at questioningly as she had finished the plating with a few mitsuba leaves on top of her dish.

"W-What is this?" Erina questioned.

Looking down at the milky egg dish, Kagome gulped. "Chawanmushi," she replied. "Since the weather is getting a little chiller, I thought of making something simple, but filling."

The queen's eyebrow rose as she looked at the creamy substance. Never in her life had she seen such creamy chawanmushi, but the smell that rose the moment her spoon mode the liquid, her knees had bucked. "You serve me this?"

"Is there something wrong with it?" Kagome raised a brow. "You haven't even tried it yet."

Hesitant to try the miko's presented food, Erina slowly brought half a spoon filled of the chawanmushi to her lips before taking a full taste. The warm liquid of the egg custard embraced her senses as she felt herself being covered in the substance. The hue on her cheeks darkened with the taste lingering on the tip of her tongue; all of her sense pulsing in need of more.

"So?" the miko tilted her head to the side. "How is it?"

"D…Disgusting!"

The miko cracked into stone as she heard the words spilling from Erina's mouth. Being given those words were a lot harsher than she thought. Was she really that bad at cooking? Looking down at the egg custard with hot air steaming over it, the echoing steps from Erina and Hisako were ignored by her ears.

"Both of you are not entering Totsuki!"

It was the reality of their dishes; what more could they do? Kagome finally found her breath, exhaling out to be brought into reality, the miko looked to her left and saw the still Yukihira not having moved a muscle. "Sōma-kun…?"

"I….," he whispered, "I need some time to think."

Watching the red head slowly make his way towards the exit doors, Kagome extended her arm out. No words to stop him were released as she was not sure herself how to make him feel better. His cooking was not horrible, so why would Erina say such a thing? Was Totsuki this harsh? The miko's chest heaved down as she began to collect the dirty dishes she had used to place into the sink on the other side.

Kagome turned on the water of the sink, letting them soak. _'Don't even know why I had my hopes up…,'_ she shook her head, knowing that the results she had gotten were to be expected. Her senses tingled as she felt another unfamiliar aura enter the room. Hearing the sound of silverware being grabbed from a nearby drawer, Kagome looked over her shoulder to see an unknown older male wearing an olive colored yukata standing in front of her dish.

"Um, sumimazen, that dish isn't-!" the miko stopped in the middle of her steps as she saw the male with the white beard take a spoon-full of her egg custard. Before she could say anything more, the laugh of the older male made her jump. Seeing her form having been placed next to her dish with the 'fail' stamp, the older male quickly took off one sleeve of his yukata before going over to Sōma's dish. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

No reply was given as the mysterious male proceeded with tasting Sōma's food. The same laugh that he had given to hers was released once more. Kagome watched him grab his form with hers before she finally got to see his face. A scar was visible over his right eye as his grey and white beard matched his long hair that went down to his hips.

"Ano-"

"Higurashi and Yukihira, was it?" he spoke with a raised brow. "Do you know who I am?"

"Not…exactly, sir."

"Hmm, good," he chuckled as he looked over at their forms once more, "then make sure you buy the uniform before you leave Totsuki grounds."

The miko blinked confusingly: "excuse me?"

"It looks like there was a mistake," he smirked, "Totsuki welcomes you both."

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** Well that is the first chapter. Some of you might not know who this man is (unless you have seen the anime/read the manga), but it will be revealed in the next chapter!

A lot of changes will be made to the original story, so please bare with me! This is only the first chapter! But I might change the title...any ideas?

Please review and let me know about it?

Ja~ne


	2. Orientation to War

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: Thank you for the support on the first chapter! I know a lot of you have waited for this. Let me be honest and say I hate writing the beginning stages of a fanfiction because introductions are difficult for me to execute.  
**

 **But I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Chapter 02: Sweet Meetings and Wars**

* * *

No matter how long she stared at the papers in her hands, she tried convincing herself all of it was just a dream and she would wake up in her room. There was no way a school could be this devilish in their acceptances, but just when the queen of Totsuki had failed her and Sōma she never expected to be getting acceptance letters from another person.

Everything had happened too fast for her brain to register, and that was saying something when she had dealt with demons who were after her life. Reacting and strategizing were the two skills she needed to enhance during her travels, but this man had surprised her from his unnecessary stripping to receiving two letters of acceptance into the culinary academy.

Nothing was said back as she tried getting answers from the much older male, but she was left alone in the kitchen with only his laugh echoing throughout the halls. Looking back down at the envelopes with Totsuki's emblem, Kagome could not help but feel a bit wary of what was to come.

' _Guess this means we are officially admitted into Totsuki?'_ Placing the last clean bowl inside one of the cabinets, the miko returned to grab the letters off the counter before making her way towards the exit. Her eyes blinked a few times as the sun's glow behind the mountains glared into her vision. Regaining her normal vision, the miko stopped in her steps upon noticing the familiar red head laying down on the grass with arms crossed behind his head.

Of course failure in a kitchen did not suit him well. He was sore loser after all.

She sighed under her breath, making her way over to the depressed Yukihira. Pouting with a raised brow, she leaned over, casting her shadow over his eyes. "Still depressed?"

"It's over, Kagome…," he sighed, a small yet disheartening smile adorning his features.

Squatting down, she kept her head over his before presenting him the envelopes. "What if I said we just started?"

"Huh?" Opening his tired eyes, Sōma blinked once and then twice before reading the kanji for 'accepted'. "W-Wha!?" Sitting up in a flash, his forehead collided with the miko's, making both of them wince from the sudden impact. "W-What the hell, Kagome!?"

"Those are my words!" she grumbled in pain as she fell on her behind. Rubbing her forehead, the miko pouted watching Sōma's attention now on the letters in his hands.

His eyes scanned the contents from inside. He could not believe what he was reading: they were accepted. "Did that Erina chick change her mind or something?" he asked over his shoulder, noticing the miko having come to sit on the ground with him.

She shook her head: "no."

"No?"

Pointing with her thumb over her shoulder, Kagome blinked: "some old man gave them to me."

Silence hung in the air; stare versus stare.

"Kagome…," Sōma sighed under his breath as he closed his eyes. So an old man gave her the letters, that was great- "the hell!?"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched in response as she leaned away from his close proximity the moment his face got near hers. What the heck was his problem now?

"An old man? It could be a joke, Kagome," he huffed. The last thing he wanted was to call his father and say this old man gave them a joke of an acceptance letter.

"I'm telling the truth," Kagome spoke out, watching the red head look back down at the letters. "I don't know who he was exactly, but he tried our food." A smile broke on her face as she captured Sōma's attention on her. "He loved it. Whether these letters may be fake or not, let us find out. He even told me that we can pick up our uniforms at the front."

Taking another glance at the miko from the corner of his eyes, Sōma's grin returned. She was right; where was the harm? Hell, the deal with his father was to get into the school. Whatever or whoever got him in did not matter.

Jolting at the sudden jump he took to stand up, Kagome raised her eyes to see that confident smirk return on his lips. This guy definitely switched his moods left and right.

"Well?" Sōma spoke, offering his hand to the miko. "You coming?"

"First you explode and then you just accept it. I will never understand you," she sighed. Placing her hand over his, she was gently pulled onto her feet.

"Get used to it already, Kago-chan."

Feeling the corner of her lips twitch, she shook her head while watching the red head make his way down the hill and towards the main courtyard leading to the exit. She brushed away the strands of grass on her skirt until her eyes landed on the building she had just exited from. Noticing a shadow at the very top floor behind a window, Kagome blinked to focus her sight only to stand still at the sight of the older male.

A simple nod was given to her before the curtain draped closed.

This man might have changed their lives with one simple tasting of their dishes. Kagome was unsure if worry or excitement was running through her head at this time, but only time could tell.

* * *

"Eh~ there is more students than I had anticipated."

The miko's eyebrow twitched as she saw the clothing on the Yukihira's back. What the heck was he thinking wearing something other than Totsuki's uniform when they were supposed to give a speech as transfer students? She exhaled in hopes to tone down her swelling annoyance. Fixing the bow on her white button-up shirt, she concluded bows were definitely not her thing. And being outside of the assembly area where the sun hit did not help with the humidity she felt sticking to her like double skin. Kagome was sure most of the warmth she was feeling were the nerves kicking in. She never spoke to such a large crowd, much less, chefs.

It was a bit laughable to her thinking she went from a world saving miko to an amateur chef. Did she really have what it took to survive here?

"Just take it off," Sōma spoke from over his shoulder. It was plain as day the miko hated wearing such constricting clothing. "It's just a speech to the first-years like us."

She huffed in return, "you really don't care about first impressions, do you?" His laughter was all she needed to glare at his back. This guy was going to learn to tone down his confidence a notch or two soon. Before she could give him a small scolding, the two blinked as a black haired female with red and pink ribbons tying some of her hair back came towards them with a smile.

"Yukihira-san and Higurashi-san?" she asked, sighing after receiving their nod as confirmation. "Oh, I am glad you two are here! My name is Kawashima Urara. I am the emcee for the school."

' _Emcee…?'_ she miko blinked. ' _They need that kind of stuff here?'_

"The speech you two will give will be right after I give Nakiri-sama her award. I will call both of you so please walk over to the back of the curtain until I call you up, okay?" Urara smiled until she noticed a certain red head completely ignoring her with his head peeking out to see the student body.

"Eh~ this is a lot of people," Sōma whistled under his breath. "I hope I don't stumble on my words."

"Are you ignoring me!?" Urara exclaimed.

Releasing a nervous chuckle, Kagome caught the emcee's attention: "please forgive him. He can be an airhead sometimes and simply just rude-"

"Oi! I may be an airhead but I am not deaf!" he shouted back.

Kagome's eyes dropped into a bored glare: ' _You are not even going to deny it?'_ Watching Urara walk around the area of the outside assembly curtains, Kagome quickly realized she was left alone. "H-Huh?" She turned her head left and right with no sign of the cocky chef. _'O-Oi! Where the heck-?'_ She froze upon catching the fiery red head walking around the curtains without her. So much for a caring childhood friend.

Making her way through the last of the incoming students entering the assembly entrance, Kagome squeezed between two until she collided with another. The bump made her retreat a few steps back before quickly bowing her head in apology. "A-Ah sumimazen! I didn't mean to bump into you." Frozen in her bow, her eyes slowly curtained open; one lone cinnamon stick laid on the ground. Picking it up carefully, she continued to stare at the spice until she looked at her victim of her collision. White hair in a ponytail was the first thing to catch her attention and seal her lips. Silver hair she had not seen in a long time. Kagome noticed the male Totsuki uniform on his person knowing this was a student from the culinary academy. Tan skin with green eyes? Was he a foreign exchange student? "Sumimazen, I made you drop your um...". It was not normal for someone to be carrying cinnamon, right? Then again this was a culinary school so anything could be accepted.

"No, it is my fault," the male in front of her spoke. Reaching for the returned spice, he gave a small bow with his head. "I should have been looking where I was going."

Speechless, Kagome was left staring at the tan male until the announcement calling for the students to gather was heard. Nodding to the unknown male, she gave him a small smile with another bow before making her way behind the curtains to follow the idiot who left her behind.

Green eyes remained glued on the miko's back. Curiosity ran through his head in the want to know who she was. She was definitely not a regular at Totsuki for he had never seen her, but where had she come from?

* * *

"Hurry, Kagome! They are about to call me up!"

Kagome sighed, too tired to even argue back and correct his statement. She was going up there with him and she had a feeling she had nothing to prepare because there was a high chance Sōma would do all the talking. Coming to stand beside the red head, both of their eyes landed on the stage as they stood at the entrance ramp to the stage with a curtain covering their front view. Silence over took the area with Urara calling forth their valedictorian.

"Now," Urara spoke, gaining the attention of the first-years, "we will next present the new students with their class badge. Incoming valedictorian, Nakiri Erina."

"Hai!"

"Nakiri?" Kagome whispered, unable to get a full view of the stage. "Nee, Sōma-kun, does Nakiri ring a bell-?"

"Hmm, should I pose like this or use intimidating eyes like this?"

A sweat drop appeared over the miko's head as she saw Sōma practicing his own facial expressions and of course ignoring her question. She shook the want to strangle him and refocused her attention to Urara's next announcement.

"We now welcome our keynote speaker: the director of our Totsuki Academy…"

Kagome did not miss the gulps and nervous auras flailing around the audience the moment Urara announced the director's appearance.

Clearing her throat, Urara smiled at the crowed as an older male with long dark grey hair made his way behind her and towards the podium, "Nakiri Senzaemon-sama!"

A jolt of shock filled the miko's eyes as they became wide. That man – "c-chotto!" she exclaimed, grabbing Sōma's attention from the side.

"What is it?" he asked. Blinking his way over, he placed his chin over the miko's head to get a view of whatever had made her silent. An old man with a scar of his right eye and wearing a loose kimono had gotten her silent? Was she into older men now? "Are you?" he blinked, looking down as her eyes rose up.

"Am I what?" she questioned suspiciously.

"Into older men?"

A tick pulsed over her forehead: "what the hell brought this on!?" With Sōma easily dodging her punch, she huffed before turning back to see the fear in the student's eyes, well, at least some of them. She sighed, deciding it was best not to tell the Yukihira chef about the importance of this person. Who knew what Sōma would do if he found out. ' _Chances are he would walk up there and strike a conversation with him.'_

Coming back to rest his chin gently over the miko's head, Sōma raised a brow as he took in the director's features once more. He had to admit, he could be intimidating in one way, but he was just a director like any other school, right?

"Greetings."

Muteness blanketed over the students as Senzaemon's deep voice rung through the speakers, including Sōma and Kagome. Their curiosities peaked as they heard the seriousness in his tone, no doubt this was not going to be a regular welcoming to the year.

"Congratulations," Senzaemon continued, "on your advancement to the high school division. During your three years in the junior high school division, you have obtained a basic skill set in cooking and deepened your understanding of each ingredient. In addition to the cooking practicum, you attended classroom lectures on a variety of topics including culinary theory, nutrition, public health, introductory agronomics, and management."

Sōma whistled lowly under his breath: "wow~ they got all that in junior high-oomf!"

"Keep it down," retreating her elbow from his abdomen, Kagome turned her attention back ahead.

"Now, you are finally standing at the entrance to the high school division. The challenges you will now face are not about your skills or knowledge," the corner of Senzaemon's lips curved into a smirk, seeing his own serious tone having reflected onto his student's expression, "but whether you have the wherewithal to survive as a food professional." Raising his hand, he pointed at the first-years with his index finger, "ninety-percent of you…are meant to be sacrifices for honing the remaining one percent!"

One…percent? The miko was in a swirl of confusion and fear at this point. Ninety-nine percent of the students were mere sacrifices for the success of the one percent? Did that make any sense? If anything, it sounded like the school was constructed to be in that way. Narrowing her eyes on the director, she raised her guard up. This was definitely no ordinary school that much she could see.

"Of the eight-hundred and twelve students who entered our high school division last year, only seventy-six advanced to the second year! Incompetence and mediocrity will be mercilessly excised from our student body. A thousand first-years will be whittled down to a hundred by next year, and we can count those who will advance to graduation on one hand. Aspire to become one of the small handful of those professionals! It should be you!" Lowering his eyes, the smirk on the director's face stretched: "hone yourself!"

The miko's shoulders relaxed as she felt a rush of calm competitiveness blow over the students. Despite the director's words making everyone run to the edge of a cliff, his words were meant to push them off that cliff and discover a way to hang on. A cliff that had no certainty to be survived.

Giving them a small a bow with his head, Senzaemon chuckled under his breath. "That will be all." The determined whispers of his students made him smile to himself as he made his way down the exit ramp. An interesting year it will be and he was looking for to it. Making his way into the tent, he stopped in his steps upon making eye contact with the Nakiri queen who sat on one of the chairs inside. Seeing her give him a nod, he returned it slowly before making his full exit of the orientation.

Erina crossed her arms, feeling the rush of pride cover her person. _'This academy only has such strong name recognition because of the intense competition allowing only a select few to complete their education. Should one succeed in advancing to actual graduation, their stardom in the food world is assured for their remaining lifetime. But,'_ she sighed pitifully as her eyes roamed at the rest of the first-years and their eyes filled of determination to be that one percent, _'I pity those of you who are in the same generation as me. You have been destined to fight over who gets to be second place since the time you were born. The pinnacle of Totsuki Academy, and of the Japanese food world, belongs to me, Nakiri Erina!'_

"Finally, we would like to introduce two transfer students who will be joining your ranks today."

The announcement brought Erina's attention to the stage. Furrowing her eyebrows at the memory of a certain duo she had overlooked herself, she could not help but feel her body shake from the embarrassment of the two. _'So two students made the cut in a different exam?'_ The image of the red and black haired teens flashed in her mind. _'Yukihira and Higurashi, huh? Hmph, just the mere memory of it makes my blood boil.'_

* * *

"One percent, huh?" Sōma nodded, lifting his chin off from the miko's head. A low chuckle slowly escaped from him, making the miko blink. "Guess this is not going to be some boring home economics class."

Urara cleared her throat once again to calm everyone down. Tapping her finger on the microphone in front of her, she looked over to the other side of the stage leading to the ramp where the transfer student waited. "Finally, we would like to introduce two transfer students who will be joining your ranks today."

Feeling a push from behind, the miko took a few steps forward until she regained her balance and looked over her shoulder. "O-Oi-!"

"Come on, Kago-chan, he-he-he," Sōma's smirk returned, completely unaffected by the threatening glare the miko gave him. "We got to give our special speech." He gave her another small push forward while ignoring the blank stares at the crowd. "Come on, Kago-chan!"

"Oi! Don't be pushing me!" she shouted, looking over her shoulder. "Why should I be first!? You were the confident one!"

"Nah, I think you can handle it!" he smiled _innocently._

"Oh right, you can't because you can't even handle defeating your old man!" Oh how much she wanted to hit him at this moment. Screw the witnesses, this guy was obviously trying to embarrass her on her first day!

A nerve quickly sprung over the male chef's forehead: "what was that!?"

The shouts and insults were shared over the microphone with the speakers adding the extra volume for the crowd to hear. Students remained still as they saw the mysterious red head and black haired students arguing with witnesses to remember their faces and voices. Were they delinquents!?

From the sidelines, Erina's pupils shook as she saw the two exact chef students her mind had sprung up just a minute ago. What were they doing on that stage?! Let alone on this campus!? Who let them in!? The minute she heard their voices, her reaction was to quickly look over to make sure she had been wrong, but was right. ' _Y-Yukihira and Higurashi!? H-How!?'_

Before she could act on her plan to murder the young Yukihira, her eyes blinked at the microphone standing in front of her over the podium. The nerves that had kicked in the morning had finally double in pain. She froze in her place with the eyes of the other student on her. Looking down at the wooden podium in front of her, she cleared her throat before she parted her lips to speak-

"Okay, okay, she is a little nervous so I guess I can take over," Sōma cut in.

Just how much could he anger her today?

Tapping the microphone himself, Sōma leaned in as he placed the miko behind him. "First, I want to apologize to be talking to y'all from up here." He chuckled, unsure how to continue his special speech. There was no way he could talk like the director. "I'll keep it short and sweet, then."

The miko blinked, unsure and afraid of what could be spitted out from his mouth. In all the years she had known him, nothing ever came out good with that cocky personality he held.

"Just a couple of sentences," he continued, "well, to start, my name is Yukihira Sōma, and right here," he pulled the miko to stand beside him, "is Higurashi Kagome. Now let us be honest-"

"You," Kagome glared, elbowing him on the side of his ribs.

"-m-me, I mean me…," he winced in pain before going back to return a bright smile to the rest of the first-years. "This academy is just a stepping stone for us! I wasn't expecting to transfer here, but I don't plan on losing to folks who have never actually served customers. Anyways, what I'm getting at is…basically, now that I'm here," he lifted a finger as his smile retreated, "we are going to take the number one spot!" Sōma scratched the back of his head with a sweat drop appearing. "Well, of course, I will be taking the number one spot and Kagome here will be taking the second."

Kagome's tick reappeared over her forehead and pulsed continuously as she watched the dumb grin on Sōma's face. Not only had he placed himself in the middle of a pack of hungry wolves, but he had taken her with him! And he had the nerve to put her second!? The ass!

As Sōma made his way to stand on the other side of the miko, he took a bow with his head. "Looking forward to being with y'all for the next three years!"

Taking a step forward to strangle him to make sure he never spoke again, the corner of her eyes watched as something came their way. The miko squatted down from the incoming object and blinked with wide eyes as the book had slammed over Sōma's face. A wave of overwhelming anger caught the miko's attention as students began to throw whatever they had near them. She cursed under her breath and quickly got on her feet.

"Sumimazen! H-He can be a bit of an idiot. Please don't think much of him," she chuckled nervously, managing to dodge the few flying cans and paper balls.

"Then tell him to go die!"

"Who the hell does he think he is!?"

A sweat drop loomed over the miko's head as she used her hand to forcefully place Sōma back in his ninety degree bow. "Again, we are sorry." Continuing to dodge the flying objects in target for their 'death', Kagome kicked the red head to the side of the exit before pushing him out of the way. Nothing but nervous laughter was coming out of her as the shouts of angered students echoed in her ears. What a great first impression.

"Phew," Sōma exhaled, placing his hand over his chest, "I managed not to bite my tongue."

"You should have bitten your tongue!" Kagome exclaimed, smacking the back of his head. "What the hell were you thinking!? Do you want enemies on the first day already!?"

Pouting from the pain and the miko's scold, Sōma rubbed the back of his head. "It was not my intention; I was just being honest. This is a school where you need to get to the one percent, remember? You are going to make enemies with the ninety-nine percent."

Since when did Sōma sound so smart? Taking her eyes away from the chef beside her, she sighed and crossed her arms. He had a point, but at the first day? Did he not see the number of enemies he had already made just by opening his mouth?

"You two!"

Breaking away from their small argument, Sōma and Kagome turned their heads ahead only to blink at the sight of the blonde examiner from the other day. Sōma's lips formed an 'o' as his memories clicked in. "Oh…hey!" he greeted. "You're the one from the exam!"

"Ah, that's right," Kagome nodded, "Nakiri Erina?" Wait, Nakiri? Kagome's eyes slightly widened as she remembered hearing the director's surname. _'His family name was also Nakiri, wasn't it!? Wait, they mentioned it again when they were presenting the valedictorian! Don't tell me the director and she are related!?'_

"Man," Sōma cut in, scratching the back of his head, "that was nerve-wracking back there. It's not like I have ever had to stand up there to get awards or stuff like that before."

"I think your grades can give the reason."

Falling down from the comeback, Sōma's eyebrow twitched. If she wanted comebacks he would gladly give them to her. He turned around, ready to shoot her with a few of his, only to stop at the angered tone coming from behind.

"Why are you two here!?" Erina exclaimed, gaining blank stares from the two chefs. "I had rejected you both! You two cannot be here-!" Her view became interrupted with two envelopes being shown in front of her. The emblem of the academy tangled the words on her tongue. Those were…acceptance letters!?

"Wouldn't you come if you got an acceptance letter?" Kagome questioned, showing her the contents inside.

"B-But how!?"

"Man," he sighed, resting his hand over the miko's shoulder, "you had us scared shitless. You said it was disgusting. If it was good, you should of have just said so."

Biting her lower lip, Erina stopped herself from letting her pride being shattered as she heard Sōma's words. She was sure she called and rejected all students that she had to test! There was no way these two could have been accepted! Swallowing every ounce of fury inside of her, Erina flicked her hair to the side before coming to cross her arms. "I will say one thing to the two of you! I will never accepted your guys' cooking!"

Sōma and Kagome shared a glance at each other from the corner of their eyes.

"This is a mistake!" Erina continued. "A mistake, you understand!? You two came here to Totsuki because there was a mistake!" She scoffed, returning back to her ice cold expression. "Taking the number one spot? You two really know how to make jokes, that is for sure. Everyone who has been a student since junior high has been learning cutting-edge gastronomy! I can already tell that outsider transfer students like you two wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of beating them! Hmph!"

Taken into a silence, Kagome and Sōma allowed the Nakiri queen to pass between them. Eyes focused ahead where she once stood, Kagome blinked as she heard Sōma's light chuckle beside her, stopping Erina in her tracks.

"Three years in junior high, huh…," he sighed, tilting his head back to see the petals of the cherry blossom trees grace their way into the open tent. "Three years ago, hmm…"

The miko's eyes dropped back down to the ground. Even just a year ago her life had been different and now here she was on a different path of life. Sure cooking was a different battle, but the battles she had gone through were literally life and death, and for her death was not in option in those battles. Her eyes took a glance at the silent red head, something not in his character to do. A relaxed smile could be seen in his features, the miko taken back slightly from the expression.

"You know," Sōma began, "Kagome and I held a kitchen knife for the first time at the age of three. Over the course of knowing each other, we both worked in the kitchen of my father's restaurant when we were kids. Sure, she may not be as good as me, but Kagome does put her heart and soul in her cooking. For the past twelve years, I have been polishing my skills non-stop." Turning his head over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed to match his incoming smirk. "I can't let you smear mud on the restaurant we both grew up in by leaving after you said our cooking is disgusting. Just you wait! We will make you say 'delicious!'"

Despite all the things that came out of his mouth, his honesty and confidence were needed in some situations. Perhaps Sōma's rightful spot was here at this school. Kagome could not help but chuckle as she saw the annoyance painted on Erina's face.

Sōma knew how to get under your skin alright.

* * *

Blue eyes scanned the material on the paper in hand. Concentrating while being stared at was not helping in the least. The miko took a deep breath in, hoping to stomp down the anger that slowly increased in the pit of her stomach. Who knew being the first day of class would bring more annoyance than nerves. _'Well, I can thanks S_ ō _ma-kun for destroying those nerves,'_ she sighed. Of course Sōma would leave her to find the class by herself and stand at their work station while he went off to the bathroom. Readjusting the collar of her white cooking uniform, the miko looked around the culinary class. Those stares definitely were just waiting for a certain red head.

Shaking her head, the miko placed the sheet of paper containing her schedule down on the counter, she rubbed her temple. "First period hasn't even started and I am already feeling a headache coming…"

"Ano…"

Kagome looked up from her self-pity and blinked at the yellow eyed girl with blue braids staring back at her timidly. The miko leaned back as the girl's nerve-wracking aura began to embrace the surrounding area. Just how scared was she to be here? Noticing her holding the paper with the same number she had picked for the station they would be working on, Kagome sent the braided girl a smile. "Ah, are you my partner for this class?"

The timid aura blew away as soon as smile appeared on the girl's expression. Relief washed over her shaking body after hearing this was going to be her partner! "H-Hai!" she nodded. "M-My name is Tadokoro Megumi."

"Nice to meet you, Tadokoro-chan," Kagome returned the smile. "Higurashi Kagome."

"Oh, please, Megumi is just fine," the country girl spoke. The worries that had previously over flooded her thoughts had all sunk from the relief she had gotten to hear Kagome would be her partner for this class. Having barely made into the high school ranks with the lowest score, receiving a warning letter from the academy if she received one more letter 'E' in her classes would mean her expulsion only set her on a high anxiety alert. But after hearing the transfer student's challenge, that only made her pray just as twice in hopes she would not have to come across his path.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked, noticing her nerves slightly rising again in her aura.

"H-Hai," Megumi nodded, "gomen, I guess I am just relieved it is just us two working together."

Scratching her cheek with her index finger, Kagome exhaled with an apology. "Gomen, Megumi-chan, but we have one more person in our group. Apparently there was a mistake in our numbers and I was stuck here until they fix it. So we have an odd number group."

"Oh, one more person?" Megumi blinked. "Who?"

"Yo."

The male voice behind her immediately made the timid chef jump as she turned around to face her worst nightmare. Even with her lips parted, she was unable to make anything come out.

"Yup," Kagome nodded with a dead-eye fish look, "unfortunately it is him." Oh she definitely felt Megumi's pain upon knowing who else would be with them. Oh she felt the shock alright.

Looking at the shaking girl beside the miko, Sōma blinked before raising his hand in a salute. "Nice to meet you." He noticed the prepared ingredients on the counter: "Wow," he whistled, "the last time I cooked in a class was for home economics!"

Feeling one stab of glares after another, the miko sighed tiredly. How this guy could ignore them was beyond her. Then again, she could, too, but if she wanted to live a normal life like a normal person in this era, she had to act like one right? A normal person would be a bit taken back by a whole class staring at you. _'I think he is just that oblivious about the world around him…,'_ she shook her head. _'If this continues on, he is going to end up marrying a knife.'_ Noticing Megumi squatting down on the ground, Kagome blinked curiously as she noticed her writing the kanji symbol of 'man' on her palm. Poor girl, he definitely felt for her.

"Um, why are you writing the "man" character on your hand over and over?" Sōma asked, watching as she 'ate' every character she wrote.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, reality coming back. Turning her head slowly to face the two transfer students, Megumi gulped. "T-This is so that I won't get nervous."

Kagome blinked in return, "nervous? Nervous why exactly?"

The hue of guilt and worry overtook her eyes as she looked back down at the ground. "If I get one more 'E' rating, I'll get expelled."

Sharing the same worry with her, Kagome rested her hand over her hip. No doubt this school placed a lot of pressure on them even during their middle school years. But getting one more 'E' rating and expelled? That must be one of the sacrifices the director had been talking about.

"Huh," Sōma whispered, "I had heard this is an elite school, but I guess even they have people like you."

The words sharply made a swift stabbed into Megumi's chest, making tears roll down her cheeks. _'A-And here I wanted to survive by keeping a low profile…now I am paired with this guy, of all people.'_

"Like you're one to talk," Kagome scoffed, sending the red head a glare from the corner of her eyes.

"You shouldn't be neither! That is why we are here!"

"Learn to be a little nice with your words!" she barked back.

Scoffing in return, Sōma turned to notice the gloom casted over Megumi's person. Regretting his words, Sōma scratched the back of his head. "Oh, ah, suman," he chuckled, "I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I just tend to speak without thinking."

"Good that you realized that."

"Oi!" Sōma's quickly snapped to the side as he caught the miko looking elsewhere except at him. "Anyways, Tadokoro, was it?" he asked, placing his focus back on the timid chef, "I'm Yukihira Sōma. Sōma is fine, though. Nice to meet you!"

Megumi slowly came back on her feet as her eyes shifted left and right to see the flaming glares of her other classmates aiming at their space. "O-Oh…nice to…meet you, too." She scooted closer to the miko, giving her back to the glares in the room. "The stares hurt," she whispered, "how are you not a-affected by them? Does he not notice them?"

"Oh that?" Kagome blinked as her eyes looked around her surroundings. The glares of the students were definitely those of a demon at this point. "You get used to them. It comes with the package of knowing this baka."

"Attention!"

The class dropped their conversations as all eyes were on the incoming person. Remaining in her spot, Kagome blinked as she saw the older chef with slicked blonde hair wearing a red scarf around his white uniform place his notebook down on the front counter. Was this the instructor? If so, they seemed more natural than she thought.

"Good morning," he spoke, "my young _apprentis."_

"Good morning," the whole class replied back.

"A…A…Apple tea?" Sōma whispered. Did he want apple tea or was that a word for something else?

Coming to stand between the two transfer students, the two looked down to see Megumi's overreaction coming back to haunt her. "T-That's Rolan Chapelle-sensei," she whispered, feeling her whole body go numb.

The lecturer looked up from his notebook as he saw the fear running through the room. Of course this was a normal thing to see for first years, especially if they had heard of him. Clearing his throat, Chapelle's eyes narrowed on the class. "You become responsible for creating a delectable dish the moment you step into the kitchen. Neither experience nor status can excuse you from this duty. In my class, any dish that fails to deserve an 'A' rating will automatically receive an 'E' rating. Remember that."

Wincing at his words, the miko's eyes landed on Megumi, noticing the tears of anxiety streaming down her cheeks. First period and everything was already giving her migraine. Not to mention she felt for the poor girl. Not only did she have to be partnered up with her cocky chef and herself, but she was stuck with a lecturer who seemed to be an expert in failing students.

"That teach looks scary," Sōma commented behind them as Chapelle took roll.

"Just a bit," Kagome sighed.

Megumi turned around, making her hands into fists as she brought them into her chest. "H-He's notorious at Totsuki for being extremely strict with grades. Last year, he gave 'E' ratings to all fifty students in his class, eighteen of whom were expelled as a result of that rating."

Kagome's eyes widened: "he failed them all!?" She exhaled, placing her hands on her hips: "well there goes my luck."

"His nickname if The Chef Who Never Smiles," Megumi whispered, noticing the intensity in his glare.

"Eh~," Sōma nodded, watching as Chapelle's assistant began to write the recipe on the white board for class.

"Today's menu item is…" Chapelle spoke, giving the sheet of the recipe to his assistant behind him, "boeuf bourguignon. It can be said to be a staple in French cuisine, but I will put the recipe up on the white board, anyway. Two hours is your time limit. Each team should serve the dish as soon as it's complete. Let us begin," his glare hardened, " _commencer la cuisson!"_

Watching the rest of the student chefs scramble to gather their utensils and ingredients, Sōma raised a brow. "Did he just say to use common sense in a croissant?"

"I am pretty sure you are the one that needs a bit of common sense," the miko whispered back.

Megumi nodded to herself as she looked over the recipe from her spot. Giving herself some confidence, she knew all she needed was to stay calm. After all, she had two transfer students who made it into Totsuki without any problems. It was rare to hear any transfers coming in. _'They both look confident in their skills. I bet their cooking skills aren't too shabby-,'_ Megumi blanked out in blinks as she saw the two chefs behind her looking at the white board with curiosity and confusion.

"Boeuf bour-what?" Sōma stuttered out. What the heck was that?

Tilting her head to the side, in hopes to have some different angel in understanding, Kagome hooked her fingers underneath her chin. "Sounds like beef, right?"

"Nani!?" Megumi exclaimed. "Sōma-kun! Kagome-chan! You two have never made it before!?"

"Nope," they both replied at the same time, watching as Megumi was thrown into another pit of gloom and despair.

Turning his attention back on the white board ahead, Sōma shrugged his shoulders. If it was anything like it sounded like, it had to be beef, right? It was not like he never handled the meat in his life. "It's basically like braised beef sinew, right?" he laughed half-heartedly. "Well, I'm sure we'll manage! I'll go take a look at the recipe."

Leave it to Sōma to not freak out in any situation that had to deal with cooking. Kagome followed his person with his eyes as she looked over at the ingredients on their station. _'Just give him a math test and he will freak out then.'_ Feeling a pair of irritated auras behind her, the miko looked over her shoulder to see the glares of two students being directed towards the oblivious red head.

"Kagome-chan?"

The miko turned her head to the braided haired chef. "Uh, hai?"

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Cautiously, Kagome took a glance at the two male chefs sending sharp glares from the corner of her eyes before giving Megumi a simple nod. Why did she have the feeling cooking here would not be as simply as following a recipe?

* * *

One twitch.

' _Megumi-chan…'_

Two twitches.

' _Poor girl…'_

Kagome placed the colander into the sink as her eyes remained focused on the overly concentrated 'E' girl. Ever since they began to cook, Megumi's levels of stress and worry had even put her on the edge. Having barely met her, Kagome was starting to feel concerned for her well-being. No doubt the expulsion warning was hanging over her head as if it were her own execution. About forty-minutes into the cooking and now with the beef inside the large pot, Megumi never took her eyes off the lid.

"Take the beef out in forty-minutes…," Megumi whispered under her breath.

Kagome's eyebrow twitched again as she saw the intense focus in Megumi's eyes. Anymore push in her focus and she was sure her eyes would pop out.

"Take the beef out in thirty-nine minutes…"

A minute ticked by.

"Take the beef out in thirty-eight minutes!"

"Oh! Tadokoro! Kagome! Look! They have so many spices!"

Blinking at the red head freely inspecting the shelves at the back of the room, they both sighed. Of course they would the ones over worrying. Letting out a breath she had been holding in, Megumi's tense shoulders were given back freedom. "I feel like an idiot for being all anxious by myself…"

"Imagine being with him all the time," Kagome whispered back. Shaking the want to get out another sarcastic comment, the miko turned to Megumi and sent her a smile. "You want to help get the serving dishes and put these away?"

Megumi returned the smile, glad she had at least one person who was just as focus as she.

* * *

Whistling in wait, Sōma rested his hands on his hips. Who knew two hours would be slow. This was exactly why he hated class. Class and cooking just did not suit him well. But he had to admit the director's speech definitely had him curious to see who would be that one percent to make it to the top. He was no genius in math, but one percent was definitely a low number for graduates. Was this academy that difficult?

Catching a faint trace of smoke coming out from their pot simmering over the low heat, Sōma blinked as he noticed the lid slightly moved to the side. "Huh?" Raising his eyes up to see the miko walking towards him, she pointed at the pot, "Kagome, did you open the lid?"

She blinked back, following his line of sight. "No? We still have to simmer it for twenty more minutes."

Megumi looked over the miko's shoulder, seeing the lid just as Sōma had found it. "W-Why is it open?"

The same menacing auras she had felt before rose once more. Feeling the piercing glares on them, Kagome met their eyes along with their smirks from the same two male chefs that had their eyes on Sōma at the beginning of class. _'They wouldn't…,'_ rushing to stand in front of the stove, Kagome quickly took the lid off the pot only for the three to swallow all shock at the white substance laying over the beef.

"W-What is this white stuff!?" Megumi exclaimed.

His own irritation flowed in his blood as he noticed the miko's eyes glued on the other pair. He may be stupid, but this was clearly obvious who had done it. Sōma reached for a spoon from the side and scooped a bit of the powder before licking it for a taste. "Salt…," he whispered.

"How!? What are we going to do!?" Panic paralyzed Megumi completely as she saw her two partners glaring at the culprits of the mess. "We can't use this meat anymore!"

"Real mature," Kagome whispered. As much as she wanted to return the favor, she had to hold herself. This was no feudal era were anything was acceptable. The last thing she wanted was to be expelled on her first day. Turning her attention back on the red head, she sighed. "What should we do? It takes more than an hour to tenderize and season the meat."

"And then we have to braise the meat in the sauce for at least half an hour so that the flavors mingle!" Megumi looked over at the clock on the wall, feeling the color on her face drain. "We only have thirty-minutes left! We are going to get an 'E' rating if we serve this!"

The miko's brows furrowed in worry as she saw Megumi looking down at her charm for 'luck'. It seemed all of them had the worst luck on their first day. Focusing back on the silent red head, Kagome watched as Sōma looked left and right by turning his head. "What are you looking for?" she raised a brow.

"A pineapple."

"Pine…apple?" the miko blinked.

"Yeah," Sōma replied with a heavy sigh. "I thought this school might have it knowing how elite they are, but I don't see it. We could have used it to tenderize the meat in the time that we have."

Placing her fingers underneath her chin, the miko sunk into her own thoughts. Considering time was still ticking even while they stood looking at their destroyed meal, they had to come up with a solution and fast. Tenderizing and flavoring the beef was the biggest obstacle. Already her first day and she had to think this hard? She was just an amateur chef for Kami's sake. Her eyes took a glance of the red head beside her. _'Pineapple, huh?'_ Her mind rapidly flashed her a memory of the young Sōma having tried to make her taste test his creations when it came to flavoring meat. He went all out from mayonnaise seasonings to honey- _'Wait! Honey!'_ She gave herself a nod, the memory coming to a clear view when Sōma had actually succeeded in one of his creations. _'He had used honey to tenderize the meat that day! If they have honey, we might actually get this done!'_

Kagome placed her hand over the young Yukihira's arm, catching his attention. "Sōma-kun, what if we try honey?"

"Honey?" he repeated. "Why would we- oh! Sokka!" Almost as if he had read her mind and the memory clicked back in, a smirk slowly spread over his lips. "Oh, you remembered my meat tasting days, huh-?"

"Just go get the damn honey," she glared. "We are wasting time."

"Hai, hai," he chuckled. Turning his back to his partners, he gave them a thumbs up: "yosh! Let's get this done! Kagome, go get the rest of the ingredients while I go grab the beef. Tadokoro, prepare the spices and the temperature."

Watching the young Yukihira make his way to the back of the classroom, Kagome blinked as she noticed the fidgeting movements coming from Megumi. Raising a brow, the corner of her lips rose into a half-hearted smile. Megumi was definitely panicking with the time slowly being eaten away. Kagome placed her hand over Megumi's shoulder: "Megumi-chan, don't worry. We can fix this."

"R-Really?" she blinked, sniffling her anxiety back.

With a simple nod, the miko quickly made her way to the back to gather the rest of the side ingredients into a tray. Carefully dodging any incoming students, the miko's eyes made a glance ahead as some partnered chefs made their debut dishes to Chapelle. _'Some of them are already done. We need to get this done before thirty-minutes are up'._ Kagome placed the tray down on the counter along with Sōma putting down the beef and the jar of honey beside her.

Megumi blinked as she turned on the stove. The sight of the fresh ingredients only made her levels of anxiety rise up. Were these two really thinking in finishing a two hour recipe in less than thirty-minutes?

"All right," Sōma spoke, "let's put our game face on."

"H-Huh?" Megumi stuttered, "but there is no way we are going to finish in time even if we quickened our pace."

A chuckle passed under Sōma's breath as he slowly untied the knot of his white sash on his wrist. Noticing the miko begin to tighten her ponytail higher up, he quickly unwrapped the sash before putting it over his forehead. "That teacher says some pretty good things," he spoke, tying the sash from the back. "We are cooking pros before we are students. We are going to serve a dish, no matter what!"

"Like I said Megumi-chan," the miko reached for the mushrooms on the tray and began to slice them, "trust us. We can get this done."

Megumi was at a loss for words as she saw the duo synchronize their cooking. If it was not for knowing them, Megumi would have been convinced they had been doing this together for years with lots of practice and experience. Watching Sōma take out his own knives from his long black suitcase, Megumi jolted as Kagome called her out to bring in the rest of the ingredients to them.

"Megumi-chan?"

"H-Hai!?"

"We need the salt and pepper for the sauce and then the bouquet garni," the miko smiled as she opened the lid to the honey and handed it over to the red head beside her. As Megumi scurried over to assist them, Kagome heard a light chuckle next to her. "What's so funny?" she questioned, watching as Sōma began to spread the honey over the beef.

Shaking his head, the red head quickly tied some of the garni around the beef with a few strings. "Nothing; I am surprised you didn't go after those two guys."

She raised a brow: "was I supposed to?"

"Would have been nice," he laughed, "but I know you were looking after Tadokoro and our well-being. After all, it is our first day."

Dropping her gaze into her signature dead-eye fish look, Kagome rose the temperature of the stove as she began to sauté the butter and mushrooms together. "Where was this kind of thinking during the orientation speech?" A chuckle was returned from her the moment she noticed Sōma part his lips to return the sarcastic comment with one of his only for Megumi to hand over the two spices she had requested before. "Arigatou, Megumi-chan. Can you look over the mushrooms while I get the serving dishes?"

"S-Serving dishes already?" Megumi blinked. That fast already? Her eyes landed on the young Yukihira as his hands carefully placed the honey spread beef into the large pot.

Kagome swiftly made her way over to pick up the serving dishes. As she reached for the white squared dish on the third shelf, she stopped upon hearing the voices coming from behind.

"Look, that big-mouth transfer student and the other two are all worked up," one of the male chefs smirked with his laugh as he made his way around the miko to grab one of the serving dishes on the second shelf.

The miko froze, recognizing the auras of the two culprits.

"Well," the other spoke, "I bet an 'E' rating is guaranteed, no matter what."

"Are you two that insecure about your cooking to be ruining other people's hard work?"

Hearing the female voice beside them, the two male student-chefs turned their heads to see the miko grabbing the serving dish from the shelf. Eyebrows reacted to meet their glare as they saw the miko's confident smile.

As much as she wanted to say more to the two immature chefs, she knew remaining quiet was the best option. Giving them a small bow with her head, she made her way over to her station and handed over the dish to Sōma. _'Alright, ten minutes left.'_ Her eyes followed Megumi's movements from grabbing the sauce pan and pouring the sauce of the now plated beef. Although she had been the one to give Sōma the idea to use honey, she had to admit she was just as surprised like Megumi to see the end result.

A whole boeuf bourguignon plated on the serving dish with the warm mushroom and butter sauce to give its outer taste.

"Alright! Evaluation, please!" Sōma exclaimed as he grabbed the plate with two hands. Making his way towards Chapelle's grading station, both Megumi and Kagome walked behind him. Now standing in front of Chapelle's desk, the signature smirk from the red head made a comeback as he placed the final dish in front of him. "All done!"

The miko silently observed Chapelle's expression: stoic yet critical. His blue eyes remained glued on the warm piece of beef laying over a layer of sautéed vegetables. The entire class fell into a pit of silence as they watched their lecturer place the flat part of the fork over the beef and slowly press it down.

Chapelle's eyes widened slightly as he saw the juices of the meat and sauce flow through the openings of his fork and down onto the plate, but his surprise was the tenderness of the meat itself. Did he see wrong? There was no way meat could have been tenderized that quick with the little time they had after their small sabotage. Pressing the fork once again over the meat, Chapelle allowed a low 'hum' to escape his throat. "So tender…," he spoke, "the fork is practically springing back." Raising his eyes to meet the group, Chapelle kept his mild glare. "Your team had an accident, if I recall. How exactly did you manage to finish the assignment?"

Sōma chuckled as he pointed at the miko beside him with his thumb. "You can thank her; we used honey! We kneaded it into the meat before the braise and it was also included in the seasoning."

Chapelle nodded back, lowering his eyes once more at the plate before him. "Honey has protease, which breaks down proteins. The protease went to work on the tough beef flank, allowing you to tenderize it in the short time you had left."

Watching Chapelle begin to slice a piece of the flank beef, Megumi took a step towards the miko. "B-But how did you know that you could use honey this way?" Even she had been a bit surprised to see the two acting so casual in using the condiment.

"Well…," Kagome sighed, scratching her cheek, "I just remember Sōma making me try some of his new dishes when he was experimenting with meat. I remembered in one of the only dishes he made that actually tasted decent he had used honey."

"Sōma-kun did?" Megumi questioned.

"Hai," Sōma sniffled with a smirk. "A long time ago, I read this cookbook that said pineapple juice tenderizes meat. I couldn't think of a reason why I would get an entire pineapple just for that, so I experimented with a bunch of different stuff to see if anything had a similar effect. Kagome was my taste tester at this time and well, she was a great one."

The miko sighed as a gloom of disgust loomed over her person. Most of her taste buds had been killed off just by trying his experiments and she even wondered as a kid how she was still alive.

"Honey has a long shelf life," Sōma continued, "so it's much more versatile. Well, you will see once you try a bite, Tadokoro." Grabbing an extra fork from the side, the young Yukihira grabbed a piece from the beef and handed it over to Megumi. "Here."

Shifting her attention from Chapelle to Megumi, Kagome felt her palms sweat at the agonizing wait of their evaluation. As the two took their bites, both were pulled into a honey coaxing heaven as they felt the warmth of the beef and the sweet flavor of the honey melt them into paradise. Megumi and Chapelle were overtaken by the juicy flavors bringing their lips into a wide smile. Sōma chuckled at their expressions before turning to look at the blank miko behind him.

"Be a little proud of yourself, Kago-chan," he grinned. "You did help after all."

"Yeah, but…," Kagome's eyes remained on the smiling chef in front of them, "he…"

"Smiled!?" the entire class exclaimed watching as their lecturer had been taken into the warmth of French cuisine.

Hearing the silver ware being placed back down, the three student chefs and the rest of the class watched as Chapelle's serious expression slowly melted back onto his face. "Yukihira. Tadokoro. Higurashi. I will give you an 'A' rating. However…"

The three waited in silence and in worry of what was to come until a smirk appeared over his serious face.

"…I regret the fact that I do not have the authority to grant you a higher rating."

As he heard the critique and the satisfaction of his customer, Sōma unwrapped the sash over his head: "Glad you liked it!"

The miko's attention shifted over to the now calm female chef beside her. The stressful aura surrounding Megumi's person slowly lowered the moment she breathed out a sigh of relief. That itself made the miko smile and slowly take off the hair tie from her hair. The comments from the students in the back, along with their culprits, made her chuckle. This school was much more than just cooking.

It was about surviving hell.

* * *

Placing the jar of honey on the shelf, the miko's shoulders relaxed as she closed the cabinet. Everything had happened so quick she was unsure if this was even real. An academy with heated competition to be in the one percent definitely had a taste of war. Just by experiencing the sour taste of the two male chefs before had her blood boiling, but she knew it was best to beat them what they were here for. After all, she had managed to help Sōma.

' _Never thought I would be able to help that baka,'_ she scoffed at herself, _'he is more knowledgeable than me in this area.'_

A small chuckle from behind made her turn her head over her shoulder. Watching Sōma wrap his white sash around his wrist, the miko raised a brow. "What's so funny?"

"I am just surprised," he spoke, tying a knot over his wrist, "that you remembered the honey thing."

Scoffing again under her breath, the miko turned her attention back at the cabinets as the red head's reflection was given to her. Gold eyes fixated on her, Kagome closed her eyes. "Despite the torture I went through with you during our childhood years, I guess it was worth it."

"Oh-?"

"But only with that dish!" she exclaimed, coming around to jab a finger in his chest. "The rest were just pure pleasure of yours!"

"Mah, mah," he chuckled nervously, "no one else would do it."

"Because it was like asking for death trying your creations!"

"Ano…Sōma-kun. Kagome-chan."

The two transfer students blinked upon hearing their names coming from behind. Turning around to face the owner of the voice. Megumi's eyes lowered to the ground as her fingers locked with each other behind her back.

Sōma placed his hand over his hip, smiling at their new partner for the upcoming year. "Oh! Good work back there!"

"Thanks for helping us out today," Kagome smiled, watching a new joyful glow overtook Megumi's features.

Shaking her head timidly, Megumi's cheeks heated slightly with a red tint. "N-No, thank you two for today! It's all thanks to you two that I…"

"Don't worry about it," Kagome laughed softly. "We are just happy that you were able to put up with us. We are looking forward to working together from now on, Megumi-chan!"

Megumi nodded as her eyes stared at the two new chefs. She had been wrong to judge, but as she watched them talk and interact with each other, she could see there was a light of talent that glowed bright when the two worked together. _'Maybe I have gotten myself paired with two special people…'._ These two were special and that she could tell just from the execution of skill and knowledge they demonstrated in class. Perhaps her luck was finally turning around.

"Oh, by the way," Sōma spoke, catching Megumi's attention as Kagome turned around to place the salt and pepper on the other cabinet. "Want to try my new recipe to celebrate our team-up?"

The miko froze in mid-task in placing the salt on the shelf as she heard Sōma practically ask Megumi to give her life up. Feeling a shiver run through her spine, she slowly turned her head over her shoulder watching as Megumi gave a naïve smile and nod. This girl was asking for death!

Megumi's and Kagome's eyes widened as Sōma slowly grabbed a small container from his bag and chopsticks digging for the tentacle dripped in possibly the most disgusting sauce ever.

"Here!" Sōma snickered, revealing that devilish side of him.

"H-Huh?" Megumi blinked taking small steps back.

"It' honey pickled squid." Sōma took one step at a time towards the innocent girl as the greenish looking honey dripped down to the container in his other hand. Extending his arm out to feed the unknown to the timid chef, he blinked as he felt another hand tightly clasp around his wrist. "Huh?" Noticing the eyebrow twitch on his childhood friend, Sōma raised a brow himself. "Kagome?"

A shaky smile was given to Megumi while keeping her firm grip on Sōma's wrist. "Megumi-chan…thank you again for your help. Why don't you go home before this baka kills both of us."

Unsure whether she should take this chance to run away from the hell she knew she would taste, Megumi gulped. Was Kagome trying to save her life? If so, would Sōma use her again to taste whatever he had in hand? "K-Kagome-chan-?"

The miko worded 'run' to the innocent girl. The last thing she wanted was to have Sōma create even more enemies, especially from someone who gave him a chance. Nodding one last time to Megumi, she sighed as Megumi gave them a bow and made her escape.

A pout formed over the red head: "darn. I just lost another test subject."

"You really have to stop doing these things to innocent bystanders-oomf!" Blue eyes bulged as the taste of the honey pickled squid melted all her taste buds. The slime and sour taste only made the color of her skin pale. As chopsticks were taken out of her mouth, the miko gulped with no choice and looked around for a drink to save her life. "Ugh! Sōma-kun! What the hell!?"

"You took her place," he snickered.

"I did no such thing!"

"Yeah you did," he raised a brow back. "You gave her an escape and you took her place." A smirk adorned his lips as he grabbed another squid piece from the container. "Care to give another opinion?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she grabbed him from the collar of his shirt and brought him close to her person. "You can be honest, Sōma-kun. Tell me you want to die."

"He-he-he."

* * *

Gently tugging out the hair tie out of his hair, a soft sigh was released. The scents of failure from his class overwhelmed his senses. _'First-years still have a lot to learn about herbs and spices…,'_ the tan male shook his head as he made his way out of the class and into the hall. The last thing he wanted was to let the overpowering mix of spices cover his nose to never smell again.

"You can be honest, Sōma-kun. Tell me you want to die."

Green eyes blinked as the door frame showcased the two transfer students in their year arguing back and forth. He raised a brow, noticing the black haired female he had bumped into in the morning threatening the red head as he tried to feed her-

' _Is that…food?'_

He coughed lightly upon catching the sour smell of the vinegar and honey. What had he made? Shaking his head, the young male's eyes slowly glided over to see the miko shaking the other male back and forth.

' _Higurashi Kagome, huh?'_

The minute his eyes had landed on her, he had caught a scent of cherry blossoms, but rich aged petals. At first glance, she was not like the Yukihira boy, but something did captivate. Toning down his curiosity, he hoped his path would come across the two to meet them formally and officially through skill and rivalry.

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** Thank you for reading! Please review and let me know if I should continue because I have my doubts at the beginning ha-ha! Either way, thank you for reading!

Ja~ne!


	3. Reason

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** I was actually surprised that so many people requested Sweet and Spice, but here it is! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far! The stories wouldn't continue without this support! **  
**

 **Chapter 03: Reason**

* * *

"Damn it. I am hungry; it's cold."

An eyebrow twitch.

"Why the hell is this hill so steep!? Who the heck even makes a dorm this far away?!"

Another twitch.

"Dried squid isn't even cutting it to fill my hunger," an elongated sigh escaped the red head's lips as he adjusted the strap of his belongings and papers in his hands. "I just want to sleep-"

"Will you shut it!?" Kagome shouted from the back. For the last twenty minutes they had been walking to find their dorm all she had been hearing were Soma's complains. She was just as tired, but the least the Yukihira guy could do was quicken his pace. Sunset only lasted a few minutes and the nights were cold in April! Sure she was accustomed to sleeping outside, but that was months ago. Her body was getting use to the luxuries of the modern era. The least she wanted was a bath.

A low grumble in her stomach made her sigh.

After their classes they had gone to the main administrative office to get directions for their dorm, but even they were baffled to hear they had a dorm called 'Polar Star Dormitory'. They had given them the weirdest looks until an old man who had heard of the name gave them a map. But even he was surprised to hear the dorm was still present.

At least they hoped.

"Are you sure you are going the right direction, Soma-kun?" the miko sighed. Knowing this baka, he would easily get them lost. This long walk had given her a preview of the large Totsuki grounds and their hundreds of buildings in different architecture. _'Why would they even need so many?'_ she scratched the side of her cheek. _'Then again…this is known as an elite school.'_

"Yeah, yeah," Soma replied, looking down at the papers in his hand. "It isn't my fault this trail is so long." He grumbled under his breath, seeing no end to their path. He wanted food!

A gust of wind blew towards their direction making them block their eyes with their arms. Trees and trees were all they could see at that point and the sounds of crows (probably getting a laugh) were beginning to annoy them. Continuing their way upwards, Soma gave a sigh of relief after coming to flat ground.

"Finally!" he exclaimed. "I was sure I was going to be found dead on that hill tomorrow morning!"

"Or maybe not," Kagome shrugged, walking past the Yukihira, "people didn't even know this dorm existed. You probably would have stayed dead there."

"Oi!"

Kagome took a few more steps down the dirt path until she came to a clearing introducing her to the crows flying up, down, and circling around the western-style dorm. Vines on the walls and gates and the echo of the crows made them blink a few times hoping their eyes were playing games on them. The sunset having turned into a dark purple and red did not help to make them feel safe about their new home.

"S-Seriously?" Soma whispered, feeling his skin pale at the ominous home. "They expect us to live here?"

"Don't tell me you were expecting to live in a luxurious dorm," Kagome scoffed as she adjusted the straps of her own luggage. She never expected living somewhere outside her shrine, but at least her mother was supportive to let her go. Her family knew she needed to get out of the shrine instead of letting the home drown of her memories. _'Well, at least I brought I few things from home to help me with home-sickness.'_

Making her way forward, Kagome slowly pushed the outer gates. The creaking sound made her shiver while Soma sighed after having his hopes being thrown down the window. After seeing so many high class buildings around the campus he had put his hopes up.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue, "wonder what weirdos live inside."

"Soma-kun, don't say that!"

Ignoring her scold, Soma made it to the front of the doors and gave a gentle knock.

No reply.

"Hmm, is no one in here?" he whispered to the miko. Before she could stop him from barging in, Soma was quick to open the door and step inside. "Ano~?" he called out.

"Soma-kun, you can't just go inside without permission," Kagome whispered, following him behind. Stepping into what looked to be the lobby of the dorm, they blinked their eyes to adjust to the darkness. The only light coming inside the dorm was from the windows, but even that was slowly diminishing from the darkness. From what they could make out in the dark room, the could see the dorm was two floors and multiple rooms were available judging from the long hallways.

Kagome came to stand beside the red head, both of them looking left and right for any sign of the living. "Is there really no one here?" she whispered.

"Ah!"

Hearing Soma's voice, she blinked at his finger pointing at the upstairs balcony only to see black smog slowly crawling between the bars of the rails and down to the first floor. "Smoke?" Soma tilted his head to the side. "Is there a fire!?"

A sudden rumblr and crash made them jolt. Looking up, they watched the chandeliers on the ceiling rock back and forth, making them take a few steps back in fear they would fall on top of them.

"A-An earthquake?" Kagome gulped, feeling the floor slowly calm down before another shake called their attention to the dark hallway to their left. Multiple red eyes quickly came towards them before finally seeing the shape of pigs, ducks, and deer. "W-What the-!?

"Usako! Kamosuke! Shikanoshin!"

The two of them blinked once again as the animals ran in front of them as a girl with orange hair held in two buns chased them down.

"No!" she shouted again. "Don't leave me!"

"Oi! Room 116! Don't you dare let game animals into your room! If you do it again, I'll flay you alive!"

"Sumimazen!"

Having heard an older voice come from one of the copper cones connected by pipes on one of the walls, Kagome and Soma watched the unknown girl disappear in midst of catching what seemed to be her "pets"?

"And Room 208!" the older female voice was heard again. "You turned an empty room into a smoke without permission again, didn't you!? You want me to string you up above some smoke chips, too!? And Room 205! If your floor falls out, I will punch a hole in your gut!"

A sweat drop loomed over the red head as he heard a few shouts from the top floor. He never expected a greeting of yells from this school. "Just what is this place?" he whispered.

The miko looked around; her shoulders relaxed down while doing her observations. Although her guard was up, she did not feel any threatening auras around. Judging from the rooms the old woman had called, so far there were three people occupying the dorm.

"You must be Yukihira Soma and Higurashi Kagome – the two transfer students who want to live in the dorm?"

Looking to their lefts, the two adjusted their eyes to new person in the lobby. An older woman with gray hair spiked and held back by a headband gave them a grin as she placed her hands over her hips. "I am the caretaker, Daimido Fumio. A.k.a Fumio-san, the Madonna of the Polar Star. That is what you two are to call me."

Soma's brow twitched as he gently elbowed the miko on the side of her ribs. "Oi~," he whispered, "I told you there would be weirdos."

"Don't go judging her," she elbowed him back. "And don't be using your boney elbow on me!"

Chuckling at their silence and taken back looks, Fumio's smirk stretched further. It was surprising to have two transfer students come into her dorm, but that only made it further interesting to see what kind of people they were to be accepted by Totsuki. "So?" she spoke. "What did you bring for your dish?"

"Huh?" Soma raised a brow. "Ingredients? What ingredients?"

"What else!?" Fumio exclaimed. "It's our famous challenge for anyone who wants to live here!"

"No one told us about this…," Kagome added. Make a meal right off the bat? Not even the administration knew about the dorm so how were they supposed to know about this 'special' meal they had to make. "Did you know about this, Soma-kun?"

He shook his head with a shrug, "you got me."

Fumio sighed, shaking her head. Every student coming into Polar Star knew about the challenge, but this was the first time she received clueless kids. "It was on the paper leading you to the dorm. All the instructions are on there."

"Paper?" Soma raised his hand, looking at the sheet of paper with his schedule from class. "Oh?" he blinked as he turned the page over. "W-Where did the second page go?"

Eyes narrowing down, Kagome held back a slap. "You lost it!?"

"Huh…," he shrugged again, "must have been blown away when that wind came by-"

Pulling him by the collar of his shirt, the corner of Kagome's lips twitched. "Don't say that like it isn't a big deal. If this dish thing was on that paper, then we are in the wrong here!" She huffed as she released him before turning to the older woman. Judging the woman's expression, she could see she was being serious. Leave it to Soma to lose something that important and not notice. "What exactly are the rules?" she asked, hoping to hear some kind of key to salvation.

"Dorm applicants must make one meal," Fumio replied. "Only those whose cooking passes will be allowed to stay in the dorm. I will be serving as the examiner. The applicant can choose their ingredients, or should I say, have to."

"Oi! I had no idea about this!" Soma took a step forward. "We don't got any ingredients on us!"

Fumio returned a shrug: "guess that means you lose by default. I won't let you two cross over the threshold without seeing what you two are made of."

"Tch, more like we lost because this baka lost the paper," Kagome blew under her breath. The idiot caused them a kick-out.

"Wait a minute!" Soma exclaimed. "Then that means tonight we will have to-!"

"Yup," Kagome grabbed the back of Soma's shirt before beginning to pull him towards the exit, "camp out."

The young Yukihira's expression dropped, mostly because he was surprised to hear Kagome, a girl, was okay with the idea of sleeping outside. Did she even know how cold it was at this time!? "Oi, Kagome! I am not camping out! We don't even have food to eat! And it's freezing cold outside! I am already half dead from exhaustion and hunger!"

"I got some herbs that I brought home."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with that without any other ingredients!?" Looking back at the caretaker, Soma stopped the miko from going any further. "Is there any way we can be allowed inside? Or at least me? This girl can sleep outside for all I care-!" His head bent forward as he heard Kagome slap her hands clean from the hit.

Shaking her head, Fumio replied. "The challenge is an absolute requirement. Just give it up and listen to the girl. You can try again tomorrow. Today must be your unlucky day; we only have leftover scraps in the dorm kitchen, anyway."

Feeling Soma's stance loosen under her hand, Kagome blinked to see his shoulders having relaxed down from his mild tantrum. Glancing over to see his expression, she knew something had struck him after having heard 'leftovers'.

Soma chuckled under his breath, "does that mean I can use those leftovers?"

"Nani?" Fumio raised a brow.

"I'll take on the challenge," he smirked back. "Where's the kitchen?"

"C-Chotto, Soma-kun-!"

"Come on, Kagome!" he grinned, pulling her by the wrist. "We can work with whatever they have!"

Hearing a snicker from the older woman, Kagome could not help but sigh in defeat. She did not mind sleeping outside, but Soma was right: she wanted a bed. If Fumio said there were not many leftovers, then what could she even make? All she had on her were herbs she had been planting back at home so she could plant them here.

Her eyes landed on the back of Yukihira's shirt; she noticed his family's restaurant logo on the back. He had the confidence, but what did he expect out of her?

She was not a Yukihira.

* * *

As the lights flickered on, Soma and Kagome were awed by the spacious kitchen presented to them. For a rundown dorm on the outside, the inside was well kept and extravagant in its own way. Taking a step forward, Soma whistled at the sight of the many stainless steel counters and equipment. "It's a really nice kitchen, considering what the place looks like from the outside!"

"No kidding…," the miko whispered. There were countless bowls for mixing, utensils, and even three stoves available to them. Not even regular boarding schools would have this big of a kitchen.

"Listen up," Fumio spoke, catching the attention of the two. "I hate know-it-all brats the most!" her eyes landed on the red head, making him point at himself.

"W-Why are you looking at me?"

"Can you blame her?" Kagome whispered with a scoff.

The caretaker chuckled, noticing their bond being more than just mere classmates. "How many student-cooked meals do you think I've tasted so far? Don't presume to think I'll give you two a passing grade for something you're going to slap together!"

From the corner of their eyes, the two females blinked noticing Soma having taken the first step to observe the so called left over ingredients he was free to use. The miko's shoulders relaxed down upon taking a look at Soma's confident expression. He was a skillful chef, that was for sure, but could _she_ pull it off? Her eyes wandered around the kitchen, noticing the same things Soma had. _'Onions...and other common vegetables.'_ Hearing Soma open the fridge, she noticed the six eggs left and only a carton of milk. Some panko bread crumbs were left at the pantry along with rice. Aside from the common spices like pepper, salt, and garlic seasoning, there was not much to work with.

"All right!" Soma exclaimed. "This should be enough!"

Kagome and Fumio were taken back by his quick reply: he was ready?

"Are you going to take the challenge?"

Looking back at the caretaker, Kagome noticed the challenging smirk on Fumio's expression. How could she forget this school was anything but normal? She had never cooked a fancy meal before, but she had cooked for her feudal friends thanks to Kaede and her mother showing her basic recipes. Turning her head back to take a look at the little ingredients offered to her, she noticed could not help but noticed Soma already preparing the stove before beginning to drain the juice of something he had got out of can.

What could she make?

Kagome walked over to the pantry, noticing the spices and dry ingredients. Her eyes landed on the bag of rice; the herbs she brought clicked in her head. _'Perhaps I could try that?'_ she hummed to herself, wondering if the dish she had thought of would be good enough knowing Soma would do something extravagant and surprising.

' _Well, it's better than nothing,'_ she told herself before grabbing a bowl from the nearby counter and beginning to scope two cups of rice. Walking over to her side of the counter across from Soma's area, she began to wash the rice.

"White rice?" Soma questioned, the corner of his lips curling into a smirk. "That's basic."

"I never said I was you, Soma-kun," she raised a brow. "You all dragged me into this to begin with."

Judging by the panko Soma took out and the eggs he had on the side, she guessed he was going to fry something. She shook her head, deciding it was best to concentrate on her own dish. Noticing the small amount of kombu dashi in the fridge, she quickly went over to it before the Yukihira had any plans of using it. She remembered using the fire pits of the feudal era to make the dinners she and the rest of her friends contributed to. This only made her realize how easy cooking had become simply with the use of a stove.

Kagome reached for the washed and rinsed rice before putting it inside a sauce pan along with the dashi stock. Eliminating any clumps of rice with a spoon, she lowered the heat before going over to the side and beginning to mix tepid water and flour to create a small ball of flavorless mochi for the dish.

The sound of slapping mimicking his own caught Soma's attention. He raised his view from his task, noticing his childhood friend having rolled a dough-like substance over the table. As an eyebrow crooked upwards, Soma began to wonder what the miko would be doing with rice and what he guessed was mochi? He chuckled under his breath; it was a bit surprising to him to see the girl who had a hard time learning tricky skills actually cooking with him. Placing his round meat patted down into a patty on the frying pan, he quickened his pace.

There was no way he was going to lose to his childhood friend.

* * *

Fumio blinked, taken back by the sight of the two first-years having no trouble with the ingredients the kitchen had to offer. The smell of meat and fresh herbs made her mouth water and her appetite slowly awakened. She was never hungry this late at night but the scents easily made her greedy for a bite.

' _There wasn't a speck of ground beef or pork left! Let along, fresh herbs…,'_ she gulped, watching the miko cut up a few green herbs on her cutting board as the red head flipped the meat on his pan. In less than ten minutes, she was presented with a hamburger steak and a bowl of rice with specs of green herbs mixed in.

"W-What magic is this?" she spoke, feeling her stomach rumble. "How did you two make this meat-filled hamburger steak and rice with herbs?"

"This is a canned mackerel burger," Soma chuckled.

Fumio's eyes widened, noticing the empty can on his side of the counter. "Canned mackerel!?"

"I used eggs, onions, and panko, then I added drained canned mackerel, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook it up, and you get a fluffy mackerel burger! To top it off, I took the drained mackerel juice and made an easy light sauce by adding ponzu and thickening it with potato starch!" Yukihira scoffed with a grin. "I'll call it the Yukihira-brand Kitchen-Clearing Mackerel Hamburger Set! Enjoy!"

Gulping her taste buds once more, Fumio grabbed the chopsticks beside the plate. "Don't be ridiculous," she whispered. Parting a piece from the mackerel hamburger, she could see the juiced overflowing from the inside dripping down onto the plater. "A hamburger made from canned mackerel would be way too fishy…"

Kagome had to agree with Fumio's statement. She never heard of a steak-like burger being made out of mackerel. The taste would be overflowing with fish and she was not sure if that would be something someone would want. Then again, it was Soma they were talking to. Watching Fumio slowly bring the piece to her mouth, Kagome was taken back by the sudden wide-eyed caretaker the moment she took her bite.

Fumio felt her insides electrify the moment the juices of the hamburger coated her tongue. _'T-This is delicious!'_ Her expression softened, allowing the warmth of the food push her for more. _'If he were to tell me that there was actual meat inside, I might actually believe it! Yet it's light; the texture is excellent!'_

She never dreamed of tasting such a meal in her life. _'I can't believe he managed to concoct something this good from just those ingredients…'_ Grabbing another piece, she brought it into her mouth, allowing her senses to take her to her youthful days. She craved for the warmth and she was starting to fall in love with the dish itself.

Kagome jolted at the sudden lunge Fumio took as she wrapped her arms around Soma's neck and tried pulling him in for a kiss.

"Take me!" Fumio exclaimed.

Horror shadowed Soma's face as he tried pushing the old caretaker away. "Let go of me, babaa!"

With a sweat drop looming over the miko's head, she could not help but chuckle at the effect Soma's food had on the older woman. Just how much had he improved?

Set free from a nightmare, Soma patted his chest as the miko patted his back to console him. "I was about to die…"

"Well I guess you are the one attracting the older women," she snickered.

"Shut it," he sighed.

Hearing Fumio clear her throat, she adjusted her blue apron before walking over to the miko's awaiting plate. "Kagome, was it?"

"Hai…," she nodded back, watching the older woman grab another pair of clean chopsticks. "This is Nanakusa-Gayu."

Fumio raised a brow, taken back by the simple dish. "Seven-Herb Rice Soup?" she questioned. "How did you make this without any fresh herbs?"

Glancing at the miko from the corner of his eyes, Soma raised a brow what had brought her to make such a simple dish. But Fumio was right; he did not see fresh herbs anywhere. The fresher the better for this kind of dish.

"I had some with me," Kagome shrugged. "I plant herbs as a…hobby I guess. I put in some seri, nazuna, gogyo, hakobera, hotokenoza, suzuna, and suzushiro."

Fumio raised a brow, wondering what was the soothing smell coming out of the rice. She had used so many herbs, some that were difficult to use, and yet she sounded very confident the way she executed them. Grabbing a bit into her chopsticks, Fumio slowly brought it into her mouth. Her senses immediately fervent over the calm euphoric feeling she was given. Never in her life had she tasted something so warm and so peaceful. This plate had filled the void of the hug she had been rejected. "What is this calming goodness? I have never tasted Nanakusa-Gayu like this!"

Curious himself, Soma scooped a bit with a spoon before giving himself a taste. The coldness he felt before was suddenly blown away by the calming scent and taste of the rice. He turned his head to the miko with wide eyes.

"W-What?" she raised a brow, letting the corner of her lips twitch with nervousness.

"There is more than seven herbs in here," he commented. "Did you use something else?"

"Oh," Kagome blinked, bringing out a small container with a label in the front. "I used skullcap."

"Skullcap?!" Fumio and Soma exclaimed in unison.

With a nervous laugh, she nodded. "Yeah…I know it isn't usually used, but…," her expression softened, memories of Kaede having taught her dish when Shippo had been shaken up after learning about the loss of his father, "skullcap helps to relieve anxiety and nervousness while also to help a person sleep. I guess it was by instinct that I put it in there."

Muting Fumio's muffled comments on Kagome's dish, Soma straightened himself. Since when was Kagome knowledgeable on herbs? They were the trickiest ingredient knowing there were so many to learn about. His eyes landed on the container in her hand. _'Skullcap? That is definitely a rare herb. You usually have to grow it yourself or find it in the wild.'_

"Mah," Fumio sighed approvingly, "I never thought I would be hungry this late at night, but you two have proven me wrong." Turning her head to the silent miko, she sent her a genuine smile. "You, young lady, have surprised me. How could I say no to someone with your skills and knowledge." Taking in a deep breath, she dug into the pocket of her apron before bringing out two keys. "Very well! I will allow you two to enter this dorm!"

A grin overtook Soma's lips as he took off the white sash around his forehead. "Glad you liked it!"

"You'll be in Room 303," Fumio spoke, handing the key over to the red head. "Here."

"Yosh!" Soma shouted in victory.

"Kagome-chan, you will be in Room 304."

Nodding while taking the key into her hand, her thumb ran over the number label. She had been given a new home; would she be okay?

"You two are welcome to relax for the night," Fumio added, walking over to grab a bite of the miko's dish.

Glad to hear their welcoming, Soma quickly turned around to face the miko as she began to pick up a few dirty dishes from the counter. "Do you mind if I go use the bath first, Kagome?"

"No, go ahead…," she blinked, watching the red head pack his knifes and leave the kitchen in a flash. Sighing at his desperation for a bath and finally getting a breather, she could not help but shake her head. The day had been rough and long – something she never expected considering her past with dealing with demons. She reached for his own dirty dishes, making a mental note to have him clean the next time he cooked.

"Who would have thought we would have such talented first-years coming into Polar Star," Fumio chuckled under her breath, catching the miko's attention. "Are you close with that kid?"

"Soma-kun?" she blinked. "I guess you could say that." A little too much, in her opinion. "We met when we were kids."

"Oh youth." Fumio smirked, reaching for a bottle of wine from one of the cabinets at the top. "Well I must warn you: Totsuki is dangerous territory."

"Is everyone…this competitive?"

A scoff was given in reply, "competitive doesn't even cut it, young one. It is like war in this school. Dreams are easily crushed and if you mess up one simple technique," her eyes narrowed as she looked at the miko from over her shoulder, "it could mean your expulsion."

Kagome found it difficult to believe the kitchen would turn into something so chaotic. Then again, having met the other transfer students and Erina made her believe it. As she walked over to the sink, a screech from a female was heard from upstairs.

"Ah…," Fumio blinked, looking up at the ceiling, "I forgot to mention it was the girls' turn to use the bath."

The miko tilted her head back as she heard a few shouts of 'get out' and 'sorry'. She sighed tiredly, hoping Soma had no scared anyone in particular.

"Leave everything there, Kagome-chan," Fumio spoke, noticing the miko beginning to turn the sink. "Go get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day, right?"

"Are…you sure?" she asked, looking back at the many dishes she and Soma used.

Given an up and down wave from Fumio's hand, Kagome gave her thanks with a bow before wishing her a goodnight. All she looked forward to was getting some sleep.

* * *

A long sigh escaped the Yukihira teen as he slumped himself on his bed. Grabbing the towel around his neck, his eyes came to stare at the door of his new room. Rushing into the bath had been a mistake on his part, but he hoped apologizing to the girl would be enough to alleviate her embarrassment.

' _Probably not,'_ he grinned weakly. Finally having had his turn to take a bath, he felt his muscles slowly relax. He loved cooking, but he never thought he would be challenged so much – not that he minded. Resting his elbows over his knees, his eyes landed on the suitcase with his personal knives.

The memory of seeing Kagome mince the herbs she had brought from back home still had him puzzled. He would never admit it to her, but she did have a talent for cooking. After all, she learned with him in his father's restaurant. Although she had been a slow learner in the beginning, her dishes came out with no problems.

She was slow, but precise.

He leaned back, resting over his bed with his legs and arms sprawled. _'When did she learn about herbs anyways?'_ He remembered his father having taught him a few things about fresh herbs, but never about such delicate ones, especially ones you do not hear about every day.

He gave himself a low hum, eyebrows knitting together. _'Kagome seemed confident about working with them, but overall, she wasn't confident in the cooking part.'_ He made himself a mental note to ask her about her knowledge on herbs.

It would benefit him to know something knew about ingredients.

A small smile formed over his lips as he stared at the ceiling of his room. Looking around from his spot, he noticed the simple wooden desk at the corner of his room and the round coffee table in the middle. He raised a brow upon noticing the copper tubes coming out from the floor with one having a lid on and another off.

It began to hit him: this was not his room.

"I've left my home of fifteen years for the first time," he sighed. Memories of working in the restaurant flashed through his mind. "It's quiet…"

"Yo, transfer student!"

Soma's eyes immediately widened at the sight of a brunette wearing a bandana over his hair having appeared inside his ceiling after removing a tile. Incoherent words slipped past Soma's lips as he pointed at his intruder, "g-goh…o-oh…"

"Come on," the green eyed male smiled, "we are having a welcome party."

* * *

Dropping her bags down on the floor, the miko quickly fell face-first onto her mattress. Almost sixteen and already with aching muscles.

' _I must be getting out of shape…'_

Rolling onto her back, she closed her eyes. She never thought of herself joining a high school elite as this one, let alone, a culinary school. A few months ago she had been battling demons and in a war against Naraku, and now here she was living in a tranquil life.

Would her family be okay without her? Could they manage taking care of the shrine alone?

A pout formed, thinking about the workload her grandfather had just maintaining the exterior of the shrine. She only hoped everything would be okay while she finished her first year here.

Who knew what Totsuki had in store seeing so many students over worry themselves. After seeing Megumi's state, it could be possible she would be in those same shoes soon if she did not take the school seriously.

"Transfer student~ are you there~?"

Kagome blinked as she sat up. Looking around her room, she found nothing out of the ordinary. She was sure she had heard a voice.

"Transfer student?"

There it was again.

Noticing the copper pipes sticking of the wooden floor, she crawled towards them before standing up. The same voice was heard once again, making her tilt her head to the side. "Uh, hai?"

"Ah!" the same voice spoke again. "I am glad you're awake! Please come to Room 205! We are having a welcoming party!"

"Welcoming party?" she asked. _'Why am I having a conversation through this?'_

"Yes! Please come!"

Left in a vacant confusion, Kagome blinked at the pipe. Who was that?

* * *

After a few minutes of wandering through the halls to find 'Room 205', it had been the noise of other people leading her to the right door. She blinked as she stood in front of it while hearing the noises and chatter of what she hoped were students. Knocking on the door, she waited a few seconds for a reply.

Nothing.

Going for another knock, she blinked at the male voice on the other side.

"Like I said! I'm busy studying for the written exam! Go have your party in some other room! Why do you guys always party in my room!?"

The door slowly opened, surprising the miko with the appearance of Megumi. "Ah…Megumi-chan?" she blinked, not expecting to see the double braided girl again.

"K-Kagome-chan!?" Tears began to well up in her eyes at the sight of her first savior against Soma. Clasping her hands into hers, slow tears streamed down her cheeks. "K-Kagome-chan! I am so glad you are here!"

"I-Is everything alright?" she questioned with a raised brow. She guessed Megumi was another resident in the dorm, but what was with the frightened look?

"Oh? You came, too!"

Her eyes moved to the red headed male sitting on the floor. A salute was given to her before she could blink her shock. "S-Soma-kun?" What was he doing in here?

"Mah, mah, Marui-kun, calm down." The miko's eyes glided over to the orange haired girl sitting on the bed; she remembered having seen the same girl chasing after the stampede of animals in the llobby when they arrived. "What choice do we have? You have the biggest room."

"Why are you sitting on my bed, Yoshino!?" Marui exclaimed.

A chuckle from another female grabbed her attention. "Your room is always clean, too," the maroon haired beauty spoke.

Kagome took a step back as soon as she identified the average height male with glasses being Marui, made his way forward to clean up the cups the rest of the group littered around his floor. "I had just finished cleaning up, Sakaki!"

"Keh! There were books scattered about earlier," a blonde male with hair slicked to the back spoke as he received a nod from the muscular male beside him.

"That is because you guys were on a rampage in my room!"

"You should have more chairs around," the other male suggested, looking around for a place to sit.

"Like hell I should!"

When Kagome had heard about the 'welcoming party' she never expected such a ruckus. Her eyes wandered to the other male whose haired covered his eyes as he chewed on the edge of his cup. With an argument on one side and the gloom over Megumi's person along with Soma's cluelessness, she wondered what kind of group she had mixed herself into.

Hearing the patting on the wooden floor, the miko's focus lowered to see Soma having offered the space beside him. "What are you doing here?" she questioned, coming to sit on the spot.

"Well," he snickered, "I got a personal invitation from this guy in my ceiling."

Kagome's eyebrow twitched; something about that sentence did not make sense.

"Ah!" Soma exclaimed. "Guess who I ran into in the bathroom!?"

Megumi quickly buried her face into her palms, scared by the memory and story Soma was about to say.

"Tadokoro was in there!" Soma gave out a laugh, remembering the embarrassing positions both he and Megumi were in the moment he slid the door open. Scratching the back of his head, he ignored the glare delivered by his childhood friend.

' _So that was who screamed earlier,'_ Kagome huffed. That would explain the panicked aura around Megumi.

With her shoulders shuddering, Megumi's head hung low in disappointment. Her mother's words of keeping the sight of her skin away from boys' eyes echoed in her head. _'Gomen, okaa-san…I can't get married anymore…'_

"Well," Soma chuckled, leaning forward to face Megumi, "who knew us three would end up in the same dorm, huh?"

"I don't think she wants to be reminded of you at the moment," Kagome whispered.

Megumi's shoulders relaxed down as she heard the miko's defense. Although Soma was right, she never thought she would see them in the same dorm, but she did get the surprise of a life time…and a little too much to her liking. "Wait!" she blinked, turning her head to the two, "does that mean you passed the dorm entrance challenge in one try?"

"More or less," Soma nodded. "I'm just glad we managed to scrape by, huh, Kagome?"

"I guess…," she sighed, scratching her cheek. It was a miracle she had even thought of a recipe with the little ingredients Fumio had available to them.

"T-That's amazing," Megumi whispered. "Almost no one makes it through on the first try."

Tilting his head to the side, Soma blinked back, "huh? How did it go for you, then?"

"H-Huh? Oh, um…," avoiding their curious eyes, the corner of her lips twitched. How else was she supposed to tell them it took her almost three moments to get Fumio's approval? _'I rather die than to tell them…'_

"Here, Yukihira-kun. Kagome-chan."

Hearing another female voice calling to their attention, the two turned to see the maroon haired female offering them a cup. Taking the cup into their hand, Yukihira gave his thanks while Kagome raised a brow at the sight of the cloudy white liquid inside.

Kagome raised a brow, wondering what kind of drink was it for it to be that cloudy. Looking at the big bottle in Sakaki's hands and with her innocent smile, the corner of the miko's lips twitched. _'A one point eight-bottle with a handwritten label on it…'_

"It's just rice juice," Sakaki snickered, giving Kagome a nudge with her elbow.

"Y-You don't say…," the miko replied. She noticed Soma quickly chugging down the drink, having ignored the color of the substance and smell all together. Her experience in the feudal era and having seen Miroku and Koga drink this too many times told her something entirely different. Another avalanche of books made her flinch, watching Marui panic at the sight of his disorganized room. "A-Are you sure we're not going to get in trouble for partying this late at night?"

"Don't worry. The dorm is in the middle of a forest," Sakaki smiled. "You're the new transfer student, correct? My name is Sakaki Ryouko."

"Higurashi Kagome," the miko introduced herself.

"Oi! Miina!"

Both Kagome and Soma jolted at the sound of Fumio's voice echoing into the room. As all student turned their heads to the same copper pipes sticking out of the floor, the waited for Fumio's to continued.

"I have some buri daikon!" she shouted through the pipes. "Come get some!"

"Yeah!" shouted the blonde male. "I love that babaa!"

Surprised by the caretaker's free nature, Kagome could not help but let her shoulders relax down. Seemed everyone in the dorm was carefree.

"Just come back before Fumio-san starts her spiel about the Elite Ten," Yoshino hiccupped, watching the two taller males of the room walk towards the exit of the room.

Kagome looked over her shoulder, having heard the emphasis on the words. _'Elite Ten?'_ If she remembered correctly, Erina's assistant had introduced her to be part of some 'Elite Ten'. If Erina was at a high pedestal with that label, then it meant something big to the school, at least she hypothesized.

"Nee," Soma called out with his interest piqued, "what's this Elite Ten thing?"

"E-Eh?" Sakaki blinked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you seriously asking that question?"

"I am curious about it, too…," Kagome added.

"Wah~, you two really came here without a clue, huh?" Yoshino tilted her head to the side, wondering how these two even made it in without knowing anything about the elite school. "Well, then," she turned her head to the side, "Marui! Explain!"

"Why me!?"

"Oh, quit whining," Sakaki smiled once again, "they are the newbies; be a little nice."

Seeing he was going to find no way out of this one, Marui adjusted his glasses before taking in a deep breath. "Fine. I guess there is no other option but me. The Totsuki Elite Ten Council is a committee composed of the top ten students within the academy. Students are allowed to decide many of the academy's affairs, so a wide variety of issues are settled by the Council. They are, in effect, the academy's highest decision-making body. In the academy's hierarchy, they are second only to the director himself, and not even the instructors can disobey their decisions."

"Decades ago, when the dorm was consistently at maximum capacity, a bunch of Elite Ten members were from Polar Star," Yoshino added, completely pulling the group away from Marui's explanation. "There were even years when all of the Ten were from Polar Star."

"Oi! Don't go telling me to explain and then ignore me!" Marui shouted, noticing the two newbies having placed their attention to the other two girls.

Sakaki chuckled, "once Fumio-san gets going about those times, it turns into a long story."

Kagome nodded, surprised to hear that such a group with so much authority existed in a high school. _'So…Nakiri Erina is currently one of the Elite Ten.'_ If Erina was seen as a 'ruler' to the school, then what were the other nine like?

Having no time to ask for Soma's opinion, the front door of Marui's room was open once again revealing both Sato and Aoki coming in with a hot pat in their hands and a container with more food for their small party.

"Hello there, Yukihira Soma-kun! Higurashi Kagome-chan!"

The two tilted their heads upwards, blinking at the sight of the same brunette that had infiltrated Soma's room offering them a hand shake.

"Welcome to Polar Star Dormitory! We are glad to have you both! I'm Isshiki, a second-year at Totsuki. Please feel free to call me Isshiki-senpai! Oh, I'm so happy to have you join us! It means we have yet another comrade with whom to share our youth! There is nothing better!" Extending his arms out, his expression softened as he turned to face all of his first-years. "Listen, everyone! We all live under the same rood and eat the same food! That's youth right there! The epitome of student life! I joined the dorm because I aspired to that kind of life. Now, let us savor this shining dorm life together!"

"That's fine and all," Sato spoke, "but can you please stop coming through the attic to call on us?"

Isshiki looked over his shoulder, "eh? I can't?" Coming to stare at the copper pipes, he crossed his arms. 'Well, maybe I'll use this for guys, too. Whenever I use this, Tadokoro-chan comes over every time!"

"W-Well…," she gulped. The memories of his voice echoing in her head made her shudder. The endless nights he would try to communicate with her non-stop until she replied had her sleep deprived at times. At that moment, she learned to listen to him at the first call just to make him stop. "If I don't go," she shivered again, "he continues to talk to me every other minute."

Sakaki brushed her hair back once more, "he gives up eventually if you ignore him. Then again, it would be annoying to have him talking to us all the time."

"I guess the attic is better," Aoki chuckled nervously, thinking of having to hear Isshiki's voice endlessly continue through the night.

"Ah!" Kagome pointed, the voice triggering a memory. "A-Are you the one who called out to me in my room?"

"Yeah! This is the guy that popped in my ceiling!" Soma exclaimed.

Chuckling at their youthful reactions, Isshiki could not help but feel a sense of warmth to know the dorm had two more people to become part of their family. "Oh, I do apologize for that, but it is the way we communicate in here!"

Blinking with an eyebrow twitch, Soma watched as they all put their own thoughts into Isshiki's way of communication. "Uh…guess this dorm is full of weirdos," he whispered. The sight of someone in his ceiling almost gave him a heart attack, but he was sure to hear Isshiki's voice would only make him go crazy.

"I think you will fit right in, Soma-kun…," Kagome whispered under her breath.

"Does everyone have their drinks?" Isshiki asked, raising his cup in the air. "So, here is to the future of Yukihira Soma-kun, Higurashi Kagome-chan and the glory of Polar Star Dormitory. Kanpai!"

A small smile formed over the miko's lips as she joined everyone else in the cheer. The lively atmosphere made her forget she was even in the culinary war. As Sakaki continued to pour drinks to everyone, she watched the red head chef kneel on one knee as he raised his cup for what seemed to be his third.

"This rice juice is awesome!" he shouted.

' _He fits right in…,'_ a sweat drop loomed over her head. Suddenly feeling Soma's arm over her shoulder, she felt herself being rocked side-to-side as the others joined in with a clap as he sung.

"Born again, right here and now! Fly beyond the sky we only dreamed of-oomf!"

Kagome huffed, having clamped his mouth with her hand while the other raised his arm over her shoulders. "You are putting all your weight on me, baka!"

"Food!" he shouted, freeing himself from his silence. "We need more food!"

Megumi and Kagome sighed in unison, having only gone for one drink of Sakaki's 'unique' rice juice. They were not wrong to think Soma would become one of Polar's this quick. As Kagome rested her back against the tall bookshelves while sitting on the floor, she blinked at the sight of a plate beside her with different cheeses and jerky.

"Would you like some?"

She looked up, blinking at the male with a black turtle neck and eyes covered by his hair pushing the plate towards her. "Oh, is this yours?"

He nodded, "Ibusaki Shun."

"Higurashi Kagome," she nodded back.

"Oh!?" Soma barged in, spotting the plate of the food he needed with the drink. "What is this?!"

"Smoked cheese and three kinds of jerkey," Ibusaki replied. Continuing to sip on is drink, he watched Soma and Marui quickly dive into the snack while hearing compliments.

The miko took a bite of the smoked gouda; her eyes widened the second she felt the cheese melt on her tongue. _'Delicious…'_ she thought to herself, amazed with the dish. She never tried smoked cheese in her life, but this was definitely an experience. She did not even think cheese could be smoked. _'I wonder if this is specialty?'_

"Here!" Aoki smirked, presenting another dish of his own to the newbies. "Eat up! Fried mixed veggies fresh from the garden out back!"

Reaching for a portion, the miko blinked with irritation as Soma quickly dived in to steal the last one. Watching him munch on it like a starving man, she could not help but feel embarrassed to know him as her childhood friend. Some people would think Soma, being the son of a chef whose reputation was out of this world, would know some manners.

"It's good, right!?" Aoki laughed, making a fist in the air. "Of course it is!"

"Well, the fried shrimp I made last week was better," Sato added, munching on one of Ibusaki's jerky.

Aoki quickly butted heads with the blonde as veins from the insult sprouted out of fhis forehead. "Do you have the worst palate in Polar Star?"

"What did you say?!" Sato gritted his teeth.

Yoshino exhaled, watching another wave of books fall to the ground from their sudden push on each other. Fights from them could never be stopped and the atmosphere quickly soured. "Chotto!" she exclaimed, feeling her own eyebrow beginning to twitch. "This is why you keep making too much food every time! Hold back!"

"Shut up, game animal bitch!" the shouted together. "You stink of wild game! Especially around your room!"

Her shoulders shook with each word; a smile slowly curved onto her lips. "Oh, boys~ for saying that, I'll have to school you on the charms of my wild beasties." Cracking her knuckles, she jumped off the bed and headed out towards the door. "Wait about an hour."

"O-Oi!" Sakaki exclaimed, trying to pull Yoshino back. "You're going to strangle a duck or something at this hour!?"

"Yuki-chan! Calm down!" Megumi whispered, hoping to break Yoshino's anger away.

Kagome chuckled, observing the interactions from each person with each other. How long had it been since she was in the same room with people of her age? Although she never felt too old or young with her feudal friends, there was a problem when it came to talking about things that interested her. They were people of different times. Perhaps her mother was right for her to take this journey. It was one that had no plan nor path, but thinking back how she decided to collect all the scattered shards, it was the same thing: she took a risk.

"Oh? How about one of my own creations from today?"

The miko froze into stone at the sound of the Yukihira's voice and another of a container being opened.

"Yukihira! Bring it on!" Sato cheered, being the first in line to try the mysterious dish.

Kagome's head quickly spun over her shoulder before her eyes widened in horror as Sato grabbed a piece of squid with his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. "C-Chotto-…"

Silence.

"Oh," a smirk slowly crawled over Soma's lips as he watched Sato's face pale, "sorry. That one was a fail."

Sato spitted out the contents of the slimy squid tentacle, making the miko's head drop down in defeat. There was just no stop to Soma's wickedness to lure innocent people to taste his death-plates.

Hearing everyone's laughter as Sato tried to drink away the lingering taste, Soma wiped the tear at the corner of his eyes. "Sorry, sorry!" he chuckled. "Guess I brought my squid plate instead!" His head was slapped down, moaning from the smack right after.

"You are going to kill him, baka!" Kagome shouted. Before she could continue on her scolding, she was given another cup by Sakaki. "U-Uh…"

"Here," Sakaki smiled, "just relax for the night. You can scold him tomorrow."

Kagome took the cup into her hands, glaring at Soma as he sighed in relief after being rescued. Exhaling herself and wanting to 'relax' as Sakaki offered, she jolted at the sight of a bare butt cheeks being moved side to side as an apron was tied around- _'I-Isshiki-senpai!?'_

"Ah!" Aoki chuckled, moving back from Isshiki's 'display'. "There it is! It's Isshiki-senpai's impromptu naked apron getup!"

"Nice job, senpai!" Soma shouted from the audience, as the rest of the gang clapped and cheered (with Megumi, Kagome, and Ibusaki at the back sipping on their drinks in silence).

Although the miko was taken back by their personalities, it did make her laugh.

Something she had not done in a long time.

* * *

A tired, yet joyful chuckle escaped the young Yukihira as he observed the residence of the Polar Star sleeping on the floor – you could definitely tell a person's personality by their position when they slept. Having dimmed the lights for everyone to sleep comfortably and only letting the moon's light come into the room, he was glad to see the darkness having darkened out the mess they created. Crossing his legs on the floor, he took one last sip of his cup before hearing the light mumbles of the female beside him. Soma blinked, keeping the cup to his lips while looking at the miko curled in fetal position with some of her hair covering her cheeks – the juice must have really hit her hard at the end.

"Baka Soma-kun…," she whispered in her sleep, making him shake his head with a smile. Even in her sleep she was scolding him.

"Are you two close?"

Changing his focus ahead of him, Soma lowered the cup to the floor to see none other than Isshiki with a smile. "I guess you could say that," he chuckled again, glancing at the miko once again from the corner of his eyes. "She just puts me in check at times."

Isshiki's eyes softened as he stared at the sleeping girl beside Soma. Two transfers were able to enter Totsuki and obtain Fumio's approval? That was not an everyday nor year thing. "Did you two have fun?"

"Yeah," Soma nodded, turning back to face the second-year.

"Well, you two are very welcome here."

"Oh, thanks!" Soma shrugged, quite surprised to get this kind of hospitality.

Looking around and noticing the empty and clean plates on the floor, Isshiki scratched the side of his cheek. "Guess we're all out of food. Are you still hungry?" he asked, slowly coming onto his feet. "I have some filleted Spanish mackerel. I'll go make something."

Although the temptation of food made his mouth water, Soma would not help but feel a gloom coat him as he saw Isshiki's naked form from the back as he walked away. "Y-You're going to cook dressed like that, huh?"

* * *

Eyes fluttering with a blur, the white glow from the moon illuminated the room enough to help the blur focus. Sitting up, the miko rested the side of her head with her palm as she looked around the semi-trashed room: everyone had fallen into slumber.

' _I knew that rice juice was something else,'_ she yawned.

"Oh, you're awake."

Her head turned to the side, surprised to see Soma giving her a sincere smile as he sat on the floor. "Soma-kun?" she questioned, blinking to make sure it was him. "You didn't go to sleep?"

"Nah," he shook his head.

"I see…"

Observing the miko from the corner of his eyes and watching her see the others on the floor, a grin came over his expression. "You were drooling the whole time. I can't believe you still sleep like a baby-!" A pillow silenced him on the spot.

"I did not nor do I drool, baka," she sighed. "So much for having a normal conversation with you." Coming to sit on her knees, a sudden aroma filled the room. Kagome looked around to find the source of the spring-like smell before a sound of dishes echoed in the hall, making her look towards the open door. "Is…someone cooking?"

Soma nodded, "yup. Isshiki-senpai is making food."

"At this hour?" she blinked.

"Something about mackerel."

Before she could question what had sprung this sudden cooking, the light stomping of feet made her turn to the door once more. Kagome was greeted with a smile from the second-year as he carried one plate that quickly took over her sense of smell. "Isshiki-senpai?" she whispered.

"Oh! You're awake, too, Kagome-chan?" he smiled. "I'm glad! I was hoping you could taste my dish!" Walking over to the duo, he carefully placed the dish between them before taking a seat himself. "Dig in! It's Spanish mackerel with Chinese pepper and a puree."

Kagome blinked, noticing the fillet fish being delicious and gorgousely cooked and placed over a bright yet elegant green puree. Although her hunger was not there, she was curious. Grabbing chopsticks after Soma, the two thanked him for the meal before grabbing a piece of the tender and juicy mackerel. Taking a bite, both Soma and Kagome were quickly blown away by a spring wind. Their eyes immediately widened from the taste and the feel of their bodies enveloped by the warmth and juiciness of the fish.

' _This is delicious!'_ Soma gulped, staring at the dish wide-eyed. _'This dish maximizes the seasonal ingredients of spring! How could he put together such a delicate dish in so little time!? He's head and shoulders above all the other students in this dorm!'_

Slowly lowering her chopsticks, the miko's eyes remained glued on the fish. Never in her life had she tasted such a delicate plate. _'How could do this? No teenager would be able to conduct a professional chef's level dish…Is he really just a second-year?'_

"By the way, Soma-kun, Kagome-chan…"

Kagome's head quickly tilted back the moment she felt an eerie aura coming off from the said second-year. Feeling a trickle of sweat crawl down the back of her neck, she and Soma remained silent as they saw Isshiki's smile curve into a deeper smirk.

"I heard you two said some pretty interesting things at the opening ceremony," Isshiki spoke, eyes hidden behind his bangs. "Gunning for number one at Totsuki may not be as easy as you think. Allow me to re-introduce myself…," he slowly took off the white bandana over his head, "I'm one of the Totsuki Elite Ten…"

The two were unable to contain their shock at the news.

"The seventh seat: Isshiki Satoshi." His eyes narrowed upon noticing the surprise the two had taken. Keeping his smirk, he continued to speak. "I would like to try either of your cooking, Soma-kun. Kagome-chan. Just one of you would suffice. Show me what narrative you'll create on your plate."

Kagome's brows pinched together, mimicking Soma's taken back expression. "You're…one of the Elite Ten?" she whispered. Judging from Isshiki's tone, she felt the challenge. At this point, it was not a senpai leading a kouhai, but a senpai trying to keep their spot in the top. Kagome gulped, unsure how to reply to such a daring statement. She never expected to have one of the high-spoke Elite Ten in the same room. If anything, she pictured them to be more intimidating than the naked form in front of her.

"Kagome…"

The whisper made her glance at the red head from the corner of her eyes. The miko jolted slightly at the sight of Soma trying his best to contain what looked like excitement. Was he actually considering going against Isshiki?

"I guess I kind of get why oyaji sent me here now," Soma whispered under his breath. Standing up from his spot, Soma quickly unwrapped the white sash around his wrist as he presented Isshiki with a smirk. "I will take the challenge!"

"S-Soma-kun!" Kagome exclaimed, making sure to keep her voice low from waking everyone up. What the heck was he thinking? They did not even know what this Elite Ten was made of! Let alone, Isshiki as a person!

Ignoring her protests, Soma stared at the plate below a he knelt back down to get a closer glimpse on the fish. His eyes observed the grill marks on the fish before noticing the light black specs of Chinese pepper in the sauce. "Does your family run a traditional Japanese restaurant, by any chance?" he asked, coming to stare at the male across from him.

"Why do you think that?" Isshiki questioned.

"Spanish mackerel grilled with Chinese pepper is a common Japanese dish, but it can't be made this well by just any establishment." Hearing Isshiki's amused laugh, Soma's eyes lowered back down to the dish. _'The mackerel is grilled to delicate perfection. It's paired with a surprising puree featuring spring cabbage. But its mild smooth sweetness is a perfect complement to the mackerel. Spanish mackerel is in season in spring, and the spring cabbage heighten each other's flavors in this pairing. It's so festive, it's as if I'm basking in spring sunshine.'_ Soma stood once again, before turning to face the silent miko. If he wanted to show Isshiki his skills, he would go against him with the same ingredients with a few changes. "Kagome, do you have any tea leaves?"

"Tea leaves?" she repeated. "Well, I brought some green tea leaves if that is what you're asking-?"

"That will do!" he smiled. "Watch! I will bring a dish that is par with yours, Isshiki-senpai! I will be making Yukihira's secret menu item number twenty!"

Watching him leave the room, Kagome's shoulders slumped knowing it was too late for her to stop him. More than likely he was going to go into her room and find the ingredient he needed. _'Although I am not exactly sure what he is going to make.'_ Looking back down at Isshiki's dish, she had to admit the details and beauty of the dish were something else. It was hard to believe someone at his age could conduct something like this.

"Yukihira's secret menu?" Isshiki questioned.

"Ah, Soma-kun's family runs a small diner," Kagome replied.

"I see," he nodded, "and your family?"

Eye-to-eye, Kagome felt unsure how to reply to that question. As far as she heard, almost everyone had a background in the kitchen or cooking world, but her? What exactly could she say? Then again, what was there to be ashamed of? She came from a place with a lot of history of its own – a history she experienced herself and saved with her friends. Giving him a small smile, Kagome tilted her head slightly to the side. "My family owns a shrine."

Isshiki was taken back; he never expected such an answer. "A shrine?"

"It's a small shrine, but I got my cooking 'experience' with Soma-kun in the restaurant when we were kids – nothing special," she chuckled, remembering the times she and Soma completely messed up the dishes at the beginning stages. As they heard Soma begin his cooking process, the soft groans from Yoshino and Sakaki grabbed their attentions.

"Ugh, I guess I passed out," Yoshino yawned, sitting up from the bed.

"Oh no! I drank too much rice juice!" Sakaki exclaimed as she grabbed the empty bottle from the floor and checked inside. Every last drop had been gulped down. The sound of food frying over a pan made them look towards the open door, curious to know who was cooking.

Yoshino looked around the room, seeing no sign of the red head. "Is Yukihira-kun cooking?" she asked. "Is he still hungry?"

"Unfortunately," Kagome replied, making the two girls jump from her voice.

"K-Kagome-chan, you're awake, too!?" Yoshino exclaimed.

"It's apparently a cook-off between him and Isshiki-senpai."

The three females jumped in unison upon hearing another male voice join the conversation. Looking over their shoulders, they blinked to see Ibusaki drinking from his water bottle.

"W-Were you awake?" Kagome's sweat drop appeared. _'Wait…how long had he been awake for?'_

"Wait!" Yoshino shouted again as her eyes sparkled. "A cook-off!? Why!?"

"No idea," Ibusaki shrugged, all heads turning to face the smirking Isshiki as he sat on the floor with his knee propped up with his arm resting over it. "But Isshiki-senpai started it."

Although the sound of a competition between the transfer student and their senpai sounded appealing, the girls could not help but take Isshiki as a joke the more they stared at his apron covering the little they did not want to see.

"Are we really going to let senpai's attire pass without comment?" Kagome whispered. "Is this even normal?" Last time she checked, clothing was essential in the cooking world. She sighed, knowing it was to no use to use her own logic against theirs. If this was acceptable, then who was she to say otherwise. As the girls came to sit on the floor to accompany the miko, they were all surprised to see Soma already at the door with a tray of bowls. _'Just how many did he make exactly?'_

"Here we go!" Soma grinned. "Yukihira's secret menu item number twenty, revised! It's tea over a mackerel rice ball! It's typically made with salmon, but I changed the dish to accommodate mackerel. I had a feeling people would wake up to the smell, so I made enough for everyone, so you can all dig in."

Tilting her head to the side, Kagome slowly reached out to grab a bowl for herself. A small white mountain of rice sat in the middle of the bowl as the green and warm tea pooled around it. She blinked, noticing the little peek of mackerel he hid underneath the rice, but garnishing it with a few toppings. "Did you…use the tea leaves I had in my room?" she questioned.

Sitting beside her, he chuckled at her mild-glare while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, but when you mentioned you had some, I couldn't help myself. It took me a while to find it, but you really did bring a lot of herbs with you – good thing you labeled them!" The moment he found her bag of herbs, he became astonished to see so many and ones he had never heard of. She had even brought a book on medicinal herbs. It definitely heightened his curiosity to know what exactly she was learning, but at the moment, he had a challenge to win. "Surprisingly, Kagome's green tea leaves were of high-quality. Fresh and ready to use for this type of dish. So the tea in the bowl is made from freshly brewed tea leaves."

"Mah! How can my appetite say no when served something like this!?" Yoshino moaned, feeling her stomach slowly make room for the dish in front of her.

Isshiki brought the bowl closer for observation, noticing no extravagant display on the dish. If anything – _'this all looks too pedestrian…,'_ his eyes narrowed, wondering how this teen was able to make it into Totsuki with such a commoner skill. _'It practically screams that it's a dish served in a diner for the masses. But perhaps…,'_ his eyes glided to the right, watching as Soma gave Kagome a grin.

"All right, then!" Yoshino exclaimed, grabbing her chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!"

With the other four giving their thanks, they slowly brought their lips to the bowl as they scooped a bit of the fish and rice together with the tea into her mouths. Immediately after the slurp, the five were taken into a spring heaven; their cheeks reddened at the warmth of the tea and the juiciness of the fish.

Isshiki's expression melted all together as he felt his heart flutter. "Delicious!"

"T-The mackerel is really juicy, and the skin's brittle texture is superb!" Yoshino added before taking another bite of the fish. "Mmm~ the umami just gushes out with every bite!"

"You can't just get this mouthfeel from just grilling the fish," Sakaki gulped, blushing herself to feel such an explosion of warmth from Soma's dish. "How did he-?"

Kagome could not believe what she was tasting; her senses had been completely satisfied with just one bite. She had her fair tastes of ochazukes in the past, but this one had been brought to another level. Feeling eyes on her person, she turned her head to the left and blinked at Soma staring back at her with an awaiting smile. Was he waiting for her to say something?

"Poêlé."

Everyone's focus was pulled to their senpai.

"This mackerel has been cooked using the poêlé method," Isshiki explained.

Yoshino blinked: "Po…"

Sakaki lowered her bowl: "..ê…"

Soma tilted his head to the side: "…lé?"

"Wait a minute!" Yoshino pointed an accusing finger to the red head. "Why are _you_ acting all surprised!?"

"Huh? I was just wondering what this poêlé thing is…," he replied.

Chuckling under his breath, Isshiki faced the newbies of the dorm. "Poêlé is a cooking method in French cuisine, a type of sauté. It's a method where you pour olive oil and the like over the ingredients from above. Tell me, Soma-kun," he continued, "how did you come to know a French cooking method?"

"So that's what it is called…," Kagome whispered, remembering when Soma's father had taught them the little 'trick' when one side of their fish burnt and the other came out undercooked.

"Well, I just learned this from my old man," Soma replied. "He said it's the best way to make fish crispy. You can eat it all crunchy with rice, or enjoy a slightly different texture altogether by softening it a little in tea."

"Your father learned how to cook French cuisine?" Isshiki asked.

Soma laughed, waving his hand side-to-side. "Oh, I'm not really sure. I think he went around cooking in a lot of different countries."

"I see…," the seventh seat nodded, looking back at the basic dish. He never thought of using Japanese ingredients and French technique together. _'His cooking isn't bound by culinary traditions or genres. How liberated! The p_ oêlé _method is suited for ingredients with a thick skin. Salmon and Spanish mackerel are a perfect fit. Soma-kun determined its potential in an instant and rearranged the menu. The radiant rice is like pristine white snow…through which the Spanish mackerel bursts, as though it symbolizes the vitality of spring itself. He has expressed the very moment spring begins in this dish.'_ Taking a sip of the tea in the bowl, Isshiki closed his eyes as he felt his insides melt and bloom into a new warmth. _'And this green tea…it is nothing like I have ever tasted. It is so fresh and aromatic.'_

Bringing the bowl back down, a puff of heat passed between his lips. He could not believe it; was this real? Focusing his eyes on the miko, who occupied herself with Soma trying to steal a bite for himself, he found it more mysterious to know Kagome had no true background in the culinary world. But he had heard Soma asking Kagome for the tea leaves, so where did that knowledge come from?

"It's supposed to be mine!" Kagome exclaimed, kicking Soma away from her. What was the pointing of presenting her a dish to taste and him wanting to eat some of it?

"Oi! I made it!" he argued back.

Isshiki chuckled, watching as the rest of the other first-years placed their finished bowls on the tray. Feeling tears slowly crawl down his cheeks, he felt his chest fill with pride knowing he had two more talented chefs joining the dorm. "How beautiful," he sniffed. "It was a beautiful thaw, Soma-kun. Kagome-chan."

"Huh?" the miko blinked, wondering where his praise to her was coming from.

"Well," Soma chuckled, scratching the side of his nose, "yours was, too, senpai. I felt a refreshing spring breeze for sure."

The miko's eyebrow twitched, completely forgetting about finishing her food, the moment Isshiki and Soma shared a handshake. The gesture was not the problem; the problem was finding Soma completely unfazed by Isshiki's lack of attire.

Megumi slowly opened her eyes; her eyesight quickly going from a blur to a bright sparkle the moment she set her sight on the naked second-year with his apron slightly hanging low to his hips. Her whole body froze; she was confused. Crawling to the miko, whose appetite had sunken, Megumi hesitated to bring out her question.

"W-What did I miss, Kagome-chan?" she whispered.

"Nothing…," Kagome sighed. "Nothing important."

"Marui!" Yoshino called out, trying to pat the boy's head to wake him up. "Marui! Marui!" She pouted upon only hearing a grumble from the megane male as he curled into a tighter ball. "He's out cold. Well then, dismissed!" Jumping onto her feet, she began to walk towards the exit with the rest of the first years yawning their way out.

Sato gave them a way, being the first out of the room. "See ya! We should clean up before going home next time, guys."

"Yeah~," Aoki added, "next time."

Sighing again, Kagome gave the girls a wave goodbye before watching Yoshino pushing a confused Megumi out of the door. Although it had been a weird 'party', she was glad to have met so many people she would be sharing this journey with. Standing up from her spot, she watched Soma unwrap his sash from his head before placing it back around his wrist.

"You two," Isshiki called, "with this welcome party, you're now officially a member of Polar Star. If you have any questions, you're welcome to ask me."

Before Kagome could give her thanks, she blinked the moment the young Yukihira took a step forward while placing his hands inside his pockets. "Ja…then how can you get into the Elite Ten?"

Hers and Isshiki's eyes widened at Soma's sudden confrontation and straightforward question. The miko's head quickly spun to take a look at his expression: he was being serious. _'What the hell is he thinking? He just started and he already wants to get into this Elite Ten?'_

A low chuckle from the seventh seat caught their attention, making Kagome slump her shoulders hoping Isshiki had not been offended in any way from Soma's bluntness. "Oh, that's right," he exhaled. "You're going for the top spot in this academy, right? Is there a specific reason why you're so determined?"

"I'm kind of in a middle of a fight with my old man," Soma replied. "I have to pull off something major if I'm going to get any respect from him. Although our match just now was a draw…," his eyes narrowed to match his smirk, "if I win against you now, will I become the seventh best at Totsuki?"

Curious herself, Kagome waited for a reply as she stood behind the red head. Was that how it worked? You beat one of the Elite Ten and take their spot? It sounded to simply for an elite and chaotic school like this.

Isshiki scoffed with a smirk before he threw his hands up in the air and more tears streamed down his face. "Wonderful!"

The two jolted.

"I admire your ambition, Soma-kun!" he continued. "I'm super impressed by you right now! It's how students who live at Polar Star should be!"

"R-Right…," Soma nodded, taking a step back to stand beside the miko. "Not really what I was expecting…," he whispered.

"What _did_ you expect from a guy just wearing an apron?" she whispered back.

"But!" Isshiki held a finger up, "I'm going to call it a night. It's getting late. Let's get some rest, you two."

"W-Well, I guess…," the corner of Soma's lips twitched. "I guess I will go to my room. Oyasumi!" he waved away, making his way out of the room.

Waving back, Isshiki's eyes narrowed in wait the moment Soma took a turn and only the miko was left. As she took one step towards the door, the seventh seat cleared his throat. "Kagome-chan." She blinked, looking over her shoulder. Reading his posture and aura, the miko could tell this was no joyful praise that was coming out of the second-year. "What about you?" he asked.

"What…about me?"

"If Soma-kun's ambitions are to get to the top in this academy, what are yours? What Soma-kun doesn't know is his words carry real weight from now on." His focus tightened, wondering what goals the miko could possibly have. "You come from a shrine, correct? Many of us attending Totsuki have our goals to take over our family restaurants, manage the culinary world, or simply to be the best in this profession. Totsuki is the first of many steps to build up our reputations. Tell me, Kagome-chan…what is your goal?"

Silence.

What else could she say? There was nothing she _could_ say. Unlike others, she was an amateur to the world of cooking, but Isshiki was right. She would not survive without a goal.

"Well," Isshiki cut in, "think about it. I am sure it will come to you soon. Just…don't take too long. The worst is yet to come, Kagome-chan. In this academy, cooking is literally everything."

Her eyebrows furrowed together in concern upon hearing Isshiki's mild-warning. No doubt in her mind he was calling her 'weak' if she had no idea why she was here in the first place. If anything, she was easily being overshadowed by Soma's personality alone. Memories of her first day in Totsuki: taking the exam, the speech, meeting Erina, and her first class now all made sense.

This was war and no one had plans of losing.

* * *

Her eyes stung; her head pulsed slightly.

Kagome closed them for a second for a small breather. The whole night she had remained awake thinking over Isshiki's words and they still pestered until dawn. She scoffed, having seen the glow in her room go from a cool night to a warm orange as the sun rose for the new day. Just her luck.

Resting her arm over her eyes to cast a resting shadow, she exhaled. _'Should I even be here? I mean…it isn't like I have a restaurant to take over or dreams of becoming a chef…,'_ she slowly raised her forearm to her forehead, catching a glimpse of the ceiling, _'but I didn't have any other plans…'_

She sat up, scratching the back of her head with a yawn. Deciding it was best to go with her day without thinking about Isshiki's words, she walked over to her closet to grab a simple dress for breakfast before having to get ready for classes.

OoO

"Ohayo, Kagome-chan!"

The said miko looked over her shoulder to see Yoshino and Megumi walking together side-to-side. Presenting a smile of her own, Kagome gave them a small wave. "Ohayo, Yoshino-chan. Megumi-chan."

"Ohayo," Megumi gave a small bow with her head. "You're up early."

Yoshino leaned in, making Kagome lean back at the close proximity. Blinking into her eyes, Yoshino pouted as she saw her eyes slightly reddened with irritation. "Did you not sleep, Kagome-chan?" she questioned with a tilt of her head.

"Is it that noticeable?" she chuckled nervously. "I was hoping washing my face would have cleared that off."

"Is something bothering you?" Megumi asked with worry.

Shaking her head, Kagome continued her way down the hall. "Nothing. I guess I am just not used to the bed here. Don't worry, I will be fine." It was not the first time she had gone a night without sleep. There were countless times she had to be on guard even though Inuyasha stated he was watching over them. One night would do no harm – she hoped.

"Ohayo, minna!" The three girls blinked upon reaching the last step of the stairs and coming to face Isshiki, Aoki, and Sato. Isshiki greeted them with a wide smile: "I hope you three got your beauty sleep."

"Well," Yoshino chuckled, hooking her arm over the miko's shoulder, "Kagome-chan here might need the whole day to sleep."

"Oh? Was the room not up to your comfort?" Isshiki pouted.

The wave of concerns quickly made the miko feel a bit overwhelmed. She understood it, but she was fine. Not to mention the origin of her problem had been Isshiki's words that kept her up all night. "I'm fine," she reassured them, "I just want to eat and rest a bit before going to class."

"She's right!" Isshiki exclaimed, "let us go and share a wonderful meal together!"

Glad to divert their attention elsewhere, Kagome followed them behind as they walked towards the dining room. Her only hope was to get some food and a small ten-minute nap before having to get ready all over again. Reaching the entrance to the dining room, the whole group stopped upon noticing Isshiki having stood right under the door frame.

"Senpai?" Megumi asked.

"What is it?" Yoshino yawned, pushing her way through to catch a glimpse what had stopped the second-year.

All of them blinked in unison as a gust of wind from the open window curtained the display before them. In the middle of the room, sitting on a chair with arms and legs crossed, sat none other than their red head resident already with his case of knives on the floor and his white sash tied around his forehead.

"Yesterday, I had to table this, but let's put the Elite Ten's seventh seat on the line! It's time for a cook off, Isshiki-senpai!"

Once again the group blinked, silence draping over them as they stared at the red head with a blank stare. The only one showing a reaction, Kagome, could not help but let the corner of her lips twitch. Soma's personality was too much at times, but to deal with it this early in the morning was something she did not want to handle.

As Yoshino, Sato, and Aoki yawned and ignored the declaration, they walked towards one of the dining tables. It was too early to deal with someone who had no idea what they were asking. Kagome sighed, shaking her head as Yoshino pulled her and Megumi to the side to make them sit beside her. From the corner of their eyes, they watched Isshiki simply tilt his head to the side only to have Soma mimic his moves.

"Huh?" Soma blinked, wondering about the silence.

"I'm starving~," Yoshino whined, stretching her arms out on the table.

"When's breakfast, Fumio-san?" Aoki asked.

"Shut your traps!" Fumio shouted back, peeking out of the kitchen. "Sit and wait!"

Resting her chin over her palm, Kagome glanced at her childhood friend. As far she could see, Isshiki was not taken back by the declaration, but more by the sudden way Soma took it.

"Sorry, Soma-kun," Isshiki spoke. "I should have explained better."

"Huh?"

"About challenges here at Totsuki Academy. Let's go take a seat." Waiting for Soma to take his seat across the miko, he took his own on the other side. He chuckled, loving Soma's ambitions to take any challenge despite not knowing all the rules that needed to be followed. As his senpai, it was up to him to take care of his first-years.

Kagome's eyes dropped into a dead-eye fish look the moment Soma took his seat. "I can't believe you woke up early just for this. I can't even believe you're even going for the seventh seat. You really are a baka."

"Well I wanted to be in the Elite Ten," he huffed back. "I even woke up at five today to get myself revved up."

"There is an established policy at this academy to settle disputes among students," Isshiki began, smiling at Fumio as she gave each students their trays of food. "There are several rules. Should you wish to challenge me for my seventh seat, you must wager something that is equal in value."

The miko's eyes narrowed in curiosity: "a wager equal in value to the seventh seat?"

"Hai. If we are talking the seventh seat…," Isshiki hooked is chin with his index finger and thumb in thought, "…not even Soma-kun's expulsion would be enough."

"Eh~," Kagome nodded. To hear that this school would 'bet' things or titles was absurd in some way, but then again this was a different school compared to the rest where people fought to be in the top.

"Seriously!?" Soma shouted.

Turning to the red head, Kagome gave him a smirk: "guess no one wants you."

"Uruse!"

"Indeed," Fumio chuckled, coming to sit beside Megumi, "the Elite Ten is worth that much. After all, they are the highest decision-making body in the entire academy. Not even instructors can oppose what the Elite Ten Council has decided. In the past, this dorm used to produce several Elite Ten members every year. It was the golden age of Polar Star." Her eyes lowered into a glare: "in comparison, you lot are pathetic!"

Shrugging at Fumio's appreciation for them, Isshiki cleared his throat to get the newbies attention again. "Well, so anyway, I can accept your challenge, but I would not want you to leave the academy. In conclusion, there can be no cook-off."

"Why not?" Kagome commented, ignoring Soma's sudden glare. "I wouldn't mind him gone; save everyone's taste buds while we are at." And she was not lying. The horrors of his dishes were still in her head, and on her tongue, and it would be a blessing for many if they could avoid him for that sole reason.

"Well, he can't just do whatever he wants, Kagome-chan," Isshiki continued. "There are three things you need for an official cook-off. First, an adjudicator to certify that it is a formal challenge. Second, an odd number of judges. Third, an agreement between the contestants about the conditions of the challenge. All must be met for the formal challenge to be valid."

"I see," Soma nodded. "Sounds like a huge bother."

"No kidding," Kagome agreed for once. All this work for one cooking challenge? How difficult could it be?

"But on the flip side, as long as you can meet those three conditions, you can challenge anyone in the academy." Isshiki could understand how hard it was to wrap their heads around the whole concept, but soon enough they would learn just how important cooking was to each individual student. " _All who oppose you shall be struck down through your cooking._ Totosuki's traditional cooking duel is called…Shokugeki."

"Shokugeki, huh?" Kagome nodded, trying to understand the whole thing. Drinking the last sip of her tea, she slowly stood from her seat along with the others.

"Ah, Kagome-chan?"

The miko turned to the caretaker, noticing an envelope in her hand.

"This came in for you."

Taking the envelope, the miko blinked upon noticing the Totsuki emblem in front of it before slowly opening it. "What is it?" Soma questioned from over her shoulder. She ignored his question; she took out the pieces of folded paper. Scanning the contents, her shoulders slumped. "What is it?" he questioned again.

"I got transferred to another class," she replied.

"What!?"

"Well, it was bound to happen. There was an odd number of students in the class, remember?" Kagome sighed, looking back at the paper where it gave her, her new class. She pouted, thinking about how she and Soma would be in different classes. She was not afraid, but she was worried about the people that she would have to deal with.

* * *

Taking in a deep breath, Kagome looked around her new class. The same structure of the last one could be seen. Where there any normal-looking classrooms anywhere in this school? She sighed once more, adjusting the buttons of her white cooking blouse. It was weird not being around Soma, and she was starting to regret pushing him away even with his sarcastic comments. After witnessing just how competitive this place was, it gave her a wave of nerves.

' _Why am I even nervous? I have dealt with bigger things than this,'_ she scoffed at herself.

As she stood beside her station, alone, she began to wonder if she would even get a partner for this class. Observing the other stations, she could see some people already making teams of two. _'I think these teams were made since the first day…'_

"Are you the person I am working with in this class?"

The miko jolted at the low-tone voice. Looking over her shoulder, she blinked at the sight of the silver haired tied back into a ponytail and tan skinned male. She blinked again, memory clinking in to the day of the orientation. This had been the guy that had dropped the weird cinnamon stick he carried."Ah…," she whispered, "you're the guy I bumped into at the entrance."

He lifted a brow, wondering where that had come from. Keeping his eyes on her person, it hit him what she was talking about. Nodding to the unnamed girl, he placed his schoolbag on the stool. "Yeah, I remember you."

"Sorry about that," she gave out a sheepish laugh. "I was nervous about coming here and well…," she exhaled with a smile, "Higurashi Kagome. I hope I can be of help to you here."

"Hayama Akira," he introduced himself, "and I hope so, too."

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** Thank you for reading and please leave a review (they do help for motivation). Thank you again for the support!

Ja~ne!


	4. Author's Note

Dear readers and followers,

I apologize for this to come out as an 'update' on your emails, but unfortunately it is not. It really saddens me that I have come to say this, but it needs to be said now. Fanfiction isn't what it used to be, and I miss it. Unfortunately, you can't make everyone happy: my fellow guests and anonymous reviewers/messengers have expressed that. There is no way for me to give answers to 'Guests' and 'Anonymous' reviewers when they can't even log in for me to reply. It would make the process easier. I know I can't make everyone happy or satisfy anyone with what I write. I can't cater to your needs and wants; I am human and not perfect. Sure the story to some may seem to repetitive. To some the story is dull. The story for others is annoying with Japanese words, characters, Kagome not being herself, pairings not happening, romance not occurring.

I can go on and on; it's exhausting.

And I am not only speaking for myself, I am speaking for other fanfic authors who try their best to update, write, and fill your fanfiction needs. But I don't think I have to repeat myself: we are human. We have lives outside of writing fanfiction – which we don't get paid for. We have jobs, school, family issues, etc. we have to attend to. So fanfiction is an escape, not a place where we seek how much a person is annoyed at the story, how much a person is mad at it, or how bored you have become.

A few words: don't like it, don't review it or read it. Simple as that. Now, usually I don't want to come off as rude. And I definitely don't want to give this image of myself, but enough is enough. All we ask is reviews. Criticism is fine, but there is a way to word it rather: "I'm annoyed", "There is no romance, so I can't read your stories", or "I'm bored of it already". Sorry I can't deliver what you hoped, but here is an idea, write what YOU want to read. That is all the advice I can give as a writer who has been on ffn for so long. Trust me, I improved over the years, but doesn't mean I am perfect. Writers want words of encouragement. I don't care about the number of reviews, nor do I care about the content of the review, but I do get tired of seeing anonymous reviews being too scared to come out.

I am going to receive hate for this, but I do this for you guys. I do it in my free time which I could use to do other things. For those not aware, I have been dealing with high levels of anxiety and depression, and now BDD, along with an eating disorder. I don't need the pity, but these are things I deal with it daily. You can hate me for saying this, but I don't think fanfic authors have been able to fully express how they feel. We thank those who have stuck by us for so long, encouraged us, etc. We truly appreciate each one of you. As simple as a one word review to a paragraph, we cherish it.

One review shouldn't get us down: continuous ones do.

I can't count the many times I received hate both here and on Tumblr. I am still writing. But after the latest Love Hoop update, I can't help but want to delete my whole ffn account and tumblr. Why put myself out there? Why come down with the hate? I will say this again, I cannot write to what everyone desires. I try and try to change outlines, change stories, AND trying to keep everyone in character. Romance? I am trying, but I can't write things like chemistry happening at first glance. It's called character development, which I rather write about. People hate a weak Kagome. Please, we all have our days where we can be tough, but break every once in a while, whether it's because of an event or person that triggers it.

I am not sure what I should do now, but it's apparent to me that this account will probably be deleted soon.

Sorry I had to come out to say this and sound passive aggressive, but some things need to be said. Nothing makes anyone happy anymore.

I do want to thank those who have reviews, sent me love, and support. Really, you are all the only reason I have continued thus far, but I can only take so much.

Sincerely,

Mizuki


	5. Winning with Uncertainty

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** By miracle, this story got an update, but it wouldn't have it weren't for the support of all of you. I know my last 'update' alarmed a lot of you, and for that I am sorry, but some things had to be said. I was surprised by the love and support this story has, and overall! So for that, thank you. Trust me, this story and others wouldn't be getting updates if it weren't for the support. **  
**

Now, this story won (on Tumblr voting) to be updated. I will be having another voting tomorrow on Tumblr! This chapter contains some of the things that happen in canon, but I added the one character a lot of you wanted to see: Hayama. As for Kagome, I hope I don't get hate for this, she is struggling. Her character is struggling. She came from fighting demons to cooking, that is bizarre. I mean, it's hard enough to try to make her fit in somehow...

Aside from that, I researched so many dishes and herbs just to write this chapter, and I thank those who helped me and suggested many recipe pages! I have found a lot of interesting ones to use in the future! I am eternally grateful to all of you!

Now, enjoy! A long chapter because I made you all wait...

 **Chapter 04:** Winning with Uncertainty

* * *

Eyes narrowed; blink after blink Kagome could only wonder what some of the vocabulary meant. Since when did cooking have a different language? She shook her head, tired of reading the board. "So apparently, we just need to leave this inside the blender until the palak leaves and the other mixes blend well?" She questioned out loud. Turning to the silver haired male across from her on their station, she saw him beginning to add some cumin onto the melted butter resting over the pan.

Kagome blinked again, watching him working with precise movements and elegancy as he added the tej patta, which she came to learn to be the bay leaf she was familiar with. His movements were never slow nor hesitant. She watched him smell a few more spices required for the dish.

"Guess these will have to do." He spoke.

"Is…there something wrong with them?" She questioned.

Looking up from the small jar in his hand, Hayama noticed his new partner giving him a curious look. He sighed before giving her an answer. "Some spices aren't good quality. If anything, these have a few weeks on the shelf."

Her eyes landed on the jar; she tilted her head to the side. Most people kept their spices until the expiration date. They should be in good shape if they were only a few weeks old, right? Extending her arm out, she met his gaze. "Can I try smelling it?"

It was Hayama's turn to blink back. Having no objection to her request, he placed the small jar and observed her. His brow rose the second she took a sniff and nodded. Did she catch the same thing he did? Before he could question her, he watched her focus back on the blender beside her.

"Oh, the puree is ready." She commented, handing him back the jar before turning off the blender.

Continuing with his side of the recipe, he began to sauté the onions and garlic. The recipe they were given was anything but a challenge to him, but the semester had just started and he was no expecting anything to difficult – yet.

"Here is the puree." Kagome came forth, placing the puree inside a measuring cup. "I will go get the masala powder."

Throughout the cooking, Hayama could not help but observe the miko. From what he had seen and heard since orientation, she was a quiet girl, unlike the other transfer student who had made almost the whole school his enemy. Unfortunately, she was dragged down with him, but he felt no threat from her. Although he would ignore people that had no intention of bettering themselves, he wondered how she was able to pass the transfer exam when it was difficult enough to enroll.

He shook his head, deciding it was best to concentrate on the task in hand. Having already sautéed the rest of the ingredients and adding the puree, Hayama placed a bit of the finished product on a small round dish before handing it towards the miko.

Kagome blinked, confused on the gesture.

"You want to try it?" He asked.

Looking back down at the dish, she slowly raised her hands and nodded. As the green liquid touched the tip of her tongue, she felt her body melt and soothe with the fresh vegetables and powerful spices balancing each other out perfectly. Kagome sighed contently before noticing Hayama continuing with his work. Did he not want her input?

She blinked again, watching him add the last of the cream to the rest of the green curry before plating it off with some jeera rice. "You know," she spoke, placing the small dish on the counter, "I think kasuri methi would go well to top it off."

Hayama raised a brow, stopping halfway from putting the small lemon wedge on the side of the plate. _'Kasuri methi?'_ He asked himself. _'Huh…not many know about that leaf.'_ Nodding to her suggestion, he hummed under his breath. "Unfortunately, kasuri methi is a herb from India and other Middle Easters countries. Usually Totsuki would have it, but I saw none of it on the pantry." He turned his attention back to the girl. "How do you know about it?"

Meeting his eyes for only a second, Kagome quickly avoided his curious gaze. She grabbed the plate from his hands and gave him a smile. "We should go present this before time is up."

With a slow nod, Hayama watched the miko make her way forward, letting a few of the groups go first. His brow rose again, questioningly, knowing she had avoided his question.

* * *

Kagome's worries of their evaluation were blown away as soon as they watched their instructor's expression. The second the spoon left his mouth, he squealed with excitement and melted at the taste of the spicy yet flavorful curry.

Kagome shook her head, sighing in relief while putting away the dishes they used on the shelves. This was the first time she was cooking in a serious setting without Souma's help, and the butterflies in her stomach were weighing her down. _'If it weren't for Hayama-kun's high confidence, who knows if I could have finished the dish'._ She was amazed, to say the least, to see Hayama carry himself so high with his cooking. What amazed her was his knowledge on spices.

For her, herbs were easy to differentiate, but spices were another thing she had yet to learn about. _'And I have heard they are complicated to understand.'_ She scoffed at herself. _'All I have ever really used was black pepper and salt; sometimes I use paprika, but only when I feel fancy.'_

Placing one of the big plates on top of another, Kagome tilted her head to the side in thought. _'Maybe I can ask him for some advice…'_

"Here is the last plate."

Turning her head to the side, the miko blinked at the sight of Hayama handing her the white plate. Thanking him, she grabbed it before placing it on the other shelf.

Hayama's brow rose while observing the transfer student he had come to meet outside of orientation. If he was not mistaken, her skills in the kitchen were nothing more than those of an amateur's, but when it came to her suggestion with the herbs, he was taken back. In his years of attending Totsuki, he never met anyone well rounded with their knowledge in such rare herbs. The kasuri methi was rarely used in Asian cuisine, but was known in India. Where had she learned such a thing?

"How did you know about the kasuri methi?" He questioned.

"Huh?" Kagome blinked back, closing the shelf doors.

"Not many people know about it." Hayama explained. "Especially at our age, most people just know the basic herbs like basil and rosemary, to name a few.

Kagome continued to blink, taken back by his interest. Straightening herself out, she turned to face her current partner. "You knew about it, right?"

Chuckling back, Hayama closed his eyes. "I'm an exception."

"Huh…," she nodded as her eyes narrowed, "aren't you special." Scoffing with a smile to match her sarcasm, Kagome knew answering his question would be difficult. How else was she supposed to answer about her knowledge coming from five hundred years ago? Sighing under her breath, Kagome scratched her cheek looking to the side. "My, um, great-great grandmother showed me a few things."

"Great…great grandmother?" Hayama repeated. Seeing her nod, he accepted her answer – somewhat. There had to be more to her knowledge than just learning from her great-great grandmother. Not to mention, to have been able to meet her great-great grandmother, she had to have learned it at a very young age. Nodding once again, Hayama crossed his arms. "It's rare for people our age to be interested in a complicated area of cooking. Trust me, not many are able to remember herbs and spices that easily."

Chuckling back, Kagome's sweat drop loomed over her head.

"Well, I am just surprised the girl from orientation has a skill." He smirked. "After your, hm, friend's declaration to take the number one spot in Totsuki, I was wondering if those words could actually be proved with his and your skill."

Kagome sighed, remembering back to Souma's sudden speech which fueled hate into the crowd. Souma placed a challenge he was sure to push on anyone that came close to taking the number one spot in the academy. And of course he had to take her down to that challenge she wanted to avoid. _'Baka-Souma.'_ She shook her head. "You are going to have to see yourself if he is skilled enough to take the number one spot here, Hayama-kun."

"Your goals isn't the top?"

Her eyes met his; her lips parted, taken back by the question. Breaking the eye contact, Kagome shrugged. "I will see where I go from here."

Watching the girl walk past him, Hayama remained silent. The thirst for victory rested in all Totsuki students, but having a closer look at his partner, it was not there. If anything, the look in her eyes was loss. Her skills were mediocre, but she had potential.

That was frightening if the flame for winning ignited.

Following her to their table, he watched her grab her school bag from the shelves below. "Have you joined a research society?"

Kagome stood back up, blinking with confusion. "Research society?"

* * *

Feeling the rays of the sun hitting her eyelids, Kagome raised her hand to block the rays. With her class over and the other subjects coming to an end, Kagome felt a little relieved. She had almost forgotten the routine of school and her brain was beginning to fume. She exhaled softly, turning around the corner of the building while holding her school bag on the side.

Her mind wandered to her recent partner: Hayama. Something told her the skills he demonstrated himself today were not his full potential. Shaking her head, Kagome continued her way down the main courtyard of the school.

"Research societies?"

The familiar voice rung in her ears; Kagome raised her eyes forward to see her red headed childhood friend staring at bulletin board in front of the main office of the school. She noticed Megumi standing behind him, laughing – nervously – as she watched the young Yukihira scan the papers posted on the board.

"Souma-kun. Megumi-chan. Are you two done for the day?"

The two turned their heads to the left; a wider smile broke onto Megumi's lips. "Kagome-chan!" She called. "How did your first day go in a new class? I hope it wasn't difficult…"

Kagome shook her head. "Not at all. I actually got a good partner to help me through the recipe."

"Partner?" Souma repeated, sticking one of his hands inside his pockets. "Eh~ so you managed not to get expelled."

Brows furrowing down, the corner of Kagome's lip began to twitch. "You know, if it weren't for your little speech in orientation, making friends wouldn't be such a big problem. And if I get expelled it's because of you." Kicking him in the shin, she chuckled at the sight of the red head bending down and groaning in pain.

"What are you two even talking about?" The miko questioned, ignoring Souma's glare.

Megumi blinked, silent over Souma's and Kagome's small conversation. _'Guess they really are childhood friends…'_

"Tadokoro was telling me about research societies." Souma replied, as he straightened himself up. "Whatever those are."

"Ah!" Megumi blinked back into reality. "You see, I was explaining to Souma-kun about them. Totsuki has a ton of groups that do research on specific types of food. Members can develop new recipes after school or even compete in cooking contests outside of the academy."

"So it's like clubs." Souma nodded, hooking his fingers under his chin.

' _Research societies, huh? That was what Hayama-kun was talking to me about…'_ Kagome had wondered what sparked Hayama to ask if she was part of one. Looking down at her school bag, she was unsure if it was a good idea to ask Megumi if she knew anything about the research society Hayama had presented her with.

"I'm in the Regional Cooking Research Society." Megumi smiled. "I think research societies help individuals discover new methods of cooking!"

"Well," Souma scoffed, "you weren't kidding about there being many. There is even with different themes: Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine. Oh! There is Haute cuisine and vegetarian cuisine! Then there is…fermented foods and preserved foods? Ah! Look! There is one for bentos!" His eyes wandered upwards until a certain flier with pictures of bowls caught his attention. "The Donmono Research Society? Maybe it will inspire menu items for our restaurant. We should go take a look!"

"Huh?" Before Kagome could question his words, she felt his hand grabbing her wrist before being pulled into another building. "O-Oi!"

"Come on, Tadokoro! You, too!" Souma shouted with a grin.

"Why us!?" Kagome exclaimed. "Go by yourself!"

* * *

After ten minutes of searching for the place, Souma smiled as he read the name of the research society over the door. "Yosh!" He nodded to himself – despite having the two girls behind him confused for having been dragged – before sliding the door open. With expectations of seeing many students cooking and the smell of food dancing in the room, Souma and the other two were taken back by the sight of a male with a pompadour looking defeated on a chair.

Eyes of the mysterious male rose to meet their lost gazes. With a scoff, he looked down with a heavy sigh. "Sorry, but you should all go. Don RS is about to become history."

The three blinked simultaneously; Kagome leaned towards the red head in front of her. "Are you sure this is the place?"

"It has to be." Souma replied. Scanning the rest of the room, Souma noticed the many posters of different restaurants displaying their own donburi bowls. His eyes landed down, seeing some notebooks scattered across the room and other supplies with mountains of dust. "Yo." He raised his hand. "My name is Yukihira Souma, and this is Higurashi Kagome and Tadokoro Megumi. We came here because we were interested in the research society."

"We were?" Megumi whispered towards the miko.

Kagome shook her head. "Just let him be."

"I see." He sighed back. "I'm Konishi, the leader of this research society."

Taking another look at the said leader, they could not help but feel the gloom on his person blanket the area. Souma tilted his head to the side, watching his pompadour wobble. "Are you okay…senpai?"

"You look pretty down." Kagome added, noticing the notebooks on the floor having foot prints on them.

Konishi scoffed as small laughs came out of his throat. "Laugh at me all you want. I couldn't save Don RS."

Megumi squatted down to grab one of the notebooks. Blinking, she began to flip through it with amazement at the detailed recipes. "Are these recipe collections?" She questioned handing the book over to the miko.

As Kagome flipped through the pages, Souma took a peek at the contents from over her shoulder. "Woah!" He blinked, surprised to see the many recipes done by the society. "From more mainstream items to off-beats ones. They're all jazzed up with a spark of creativity! These recipes are all interesting! So why do you have to shut down?"

Hearing the metal chair drop to the floor from Konishi's abrupt stand, Kagome and Souma jolted as soon as Konishi grabbed Souma's shoulders. "You get us!? Yukihira!"

Souma's leaned back as much as he could, hoping the miko would pull him away from Konishi's hands. "H-He is crying!"

"The don has a functional beauty that obeys the laws of speed, taste, and affordability!" Konichi cried with pride. "It mans up by being contained in a bowl! It's food for men who fight! As a man, I…I cannot die until I create the penultimate don!"

Finally released from Konishi's hold, Souma slowly backed away from his fiery passion. He cleared his throat, unsure is his voice would reach the miko's and Megumi's ears. "He sure is something…"

"More like oppressive." The miko whispered as Megumi nodded to the two of them.

"My Don RS!" Konichi exhaled, falling back down on another chair behind him. "If only Nakiri Erina didn't exist…!"

At the name, both Kagome and Souma gave each other a glance. Kagome raised a brow first, becoming interested in the sudden appearance of the girl in their conversation. "Nakiri?" She repeated. "What about her?"

"Well," Konichi's shoulders dropped, "this is how she works. First, she will propose that the council cut the budget or decrease the allotted space for any group she doesn't like. She strongarms them into voting in agreement. Once they're cornered, the groups have no choice but one: the last-ditch Shokugeki!"

"Shokugeki…" Kagome whispered, noticing Souma reacting to the word. If it was the competition Isshiki had explained, then she could only presume Shokugekis was the gate to decide on things or get your way. She only hoped Shokugekis would be far from their current path.

"In return for accepting the Shokugeki challenge, Nakiri will make even more extreme demands, and, in the end, get her own way. That is how she is expanding her sphere of influence. Once my members learned that our opponent is one of the Nakiri's lackeys, they all fled…" Konishi's head dipped low once again as the gloom atmosphere returned.

Souma nodded, crossing his arms as he saw Konichi's flame slowly blow out. "He's doesn't inspire a loyal following, huh?" He whispered to the girls. "So are you facing off with Nakiri?"

"Actually-"

The sliding doors opened; the four blinked, placing their focus at the entrance of the room. A dozen carpenters and architects began to flock into the room while holding clipboards under their arm. Konishi quickly stood up, trying to stop the men from further entering the club. "O-Oi!" He shouted, seeing them taking measurements and other calculations.

"Hm," one of the carpenters spoke, looking over his shoulder towards the door frame, "rather than a renovation, it would be faster to raze this place down and rebuild from scratch."

"Yeah?"

Eyes landed on the short haired blonde with tan skin nodding to the carpenter. Megumi and Kagome blinked, taken back by the different take on the uniform: white shirt tied into a crop top and what looked like a knife holder on her thigh strapped with an arm sheath. The miko's brow rose, noticing the look in her turquoise eyes: prideful.

"Let's go with that, then!" She scoffed, looking at the place with disgust.

"Who do you think you are, Mito!?" Konichi exclaimed.

"What?" She glared, taking a few steps towards him. "I just came to do a survey. I already know the outcome, after all." Placing her foot to the side of Konichi's thigh, she backed up into a wall. A smirk displayed itself as she leaned forward, making the leader of the society shrink with embarrassment. "Like Erina-sama said, no matter how much effort you put into a don, they are a low-class dish relegated to class B gourmet fare. Totsuki has no need for such a dish. That's what she said."

Kagome blinked, noticing Souma's fingers curl into a fist and his brows furrow from her words. Taking a step back, she cupped the side of her mouth with hand. "Megumi-chan? Do you know who she is?"

"Huh?" Megumi whispered back, feeling her body shake from the tension in the room. "U-Um…that's Mito Ikumi-san; she is a first year, and known as the Meat Master. She has always received high ratings, ever since junior high. She's never received anything below an A rating for meat dishes. Her knowledge of all things meat-related is said to be top-notch, even within the academy."

Nodding back, Kagome returned to focus on Ikumi's behavior. _'She said 'Erina-sama'…does that mean she works under her or idolizes her?'_ If that was the case, then the school was beginning to become more problematic for her.

Ikumi licked her lips as she patted Konichi's pompadour with her hand. "Well, it's a different story if you think you can win against me. Get it now, RS leader-san? A club like this doesn't belong here."

Feeling a lump in his throat, Konichi's glare slowly lowered before turning his head to the side. "D-Damn you, Nikumi!" He whispered under his breath.

In a flash, Ikumi grabbed the knife behind her on the counter and sliced off Konichi's pompadour in half. Megumi jumped as soon as it landed before her feet and scurried to hide behind the miko. Ignoring Konichi's shouts about his hair, Ikumi's brows tightened into her glare. "My name isn't Nikumi. Say that one more time, and the rest of your hair comes off! You have no chance against me! No matter what dish you may try to create, you will never beat my super high-quality meat!"

"Wait," Kagome interrupted, finally realizing who the person had to be if Konichi was becoming defensive, "don't tell me _she_ is your Shokugeki opponent?"

Souma blinked, having heard the miko beside him. Taking another look at Konichi's opponent, he gave himself a nod before placing his hands inside his pockets. "Hm, I think you give cooking a bad name if all you care about is the price of your ingredients."

"Huh?" Ikumi's glared tightened, seeing someone else meddle into the conversation.

Pushing Konichi to the side by placing his hand on his shoulder, Souma stood in between the two. "Senpai, can you let me handle this Shokugeki?"

Kagome and the other two were taken back by Souma's request. Frozen in place, Kagome could only stare at his back. Was he being serious? Did he not hear Isshiki's warning about Shokugekis? Even his expulsion was not enough! And here she had thought they were able to avoid Shokugekis in the beginning of the school year!

"Who the hell are you?" Ikumi's question became laced with irritation. "Outsiders should stay out-!" She blinked, taking a closer look at the red head. It slowly came back to her: orientation. She scoffed at herself for having forgotten the face of the idiot declaring the number one spot. "You're the transfer student from the opening ceremony." Her eyes landed on the miko standing a few feet behind him. "Huh, you're here, too. Well, this saves me time; I have been wanting to talk to the both of you. Both of you seem to be confident in your skills if you're willing to butt into someone else's Shokugeki."

A sweat drop loomed over the miko's head. _'More like Souma-kun's is the idiot with high confidence. He just dragged me with him into hell!'_

"Well," Soume chuckled, "why don't we compete on your turf with a meat dish, then?" His eyes narrowed; smile vanished from his expression. "I will win, though."

Ikumi's eyes mimicked his upon hearing his declaration of victory. "Then if I win, asshole, are you willing to leave Totsuki?"

Kagome's stomach dropped hearing her words. To hear them so easily being said, it began to alarm her of the seriousness the Shokugeki held. Taking a step forward, she tried to stop Souma from going forward with his plan but came out dry. _'Baka! Don't agree to it!'_

"Tch, if you don't have the balls to do that, don't talk so big-"

"Sure, fine!" He replied.

"W-What?!" Ikumi exclaimed, surprised to hear his casual acceptance.

"In return," Souma continued, "if I win…yeah, you need to join Don RS."

"Huh!?" They all exclaimed at the same time.

The smirk on his lips returned, seeing Ikumi's shocked expression. "Join Don RS and contribute to advancing don culture. Let's call it penance for bothering us."

Ikumi blinked, unsure what to think about the transfer student. His confidence was at a level only those with experience could hold. Feeling the back of her neck beginning to sweat, Ikumi gulped. "You really think you can win against me…?" She chuckled, clapping her hands together to grab the team's attention in the room. "That's it for today, contractors!" Waiting for the team to leave the room, Ikumi raised a brow at the red head. "Then, the main ingredient will be 'meat', and the dish will be the don. The cook-off will be in three days! Once you're out, the other transfer student is next!"

Watching her leave, Kagome blinked with bitterness. "Why me…?"

"W-Why did you do that, Yukihira?" Konichi questioned, staring at the red head's back.

"Well," Souma sighed, "hearing her say that pricey meat is everything…I couldn't let that pass me by, as a diner brat. Besides, I think this club is too good to let it go to waste."

"And a brat you are." Kagome scoffed.

"But," Megumi cut in, "do you have a plan, Souma-kun?"

He blinked, staring at the girl for a few seconds before looking up at the ceiling. They waited for his reply; Kagome felt her brow beginning to twitch with the silence stretching a little too long.

"I'll think one up-"

Konichi and Megumi jolted as they saw Souma's head dip down from the slap on the back of his head. Kagome quickly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, despite the height giving her a less intimidating stance. "What the hell are you thinking?! I knew you were stupid, but not this stupid! What are you thinking going into a Shokugeki?!" Releasing him, the miko exhaled – heavily; Souma definitely tired her out with his antics. Shaking her head, she let him talk with Konishi knowing there was no way to change his mind.

Bending down to grab her school bag off the floor, she noticed the zipper open and revealing the paper in between her notebooks. Kagome blinked, remembering the silver haired male that had given her the paper along with an invite to look at his own research society. Taking it out, she read the directions leading to a secluded area away from the main buildings. Perhaps, he could help her figure out a way to find her own cooking skill – if that.

"Megumi-chan?"

She turned her head at the call of her name; Megumi blinked, noticing the paper in her hands. "Yes, Kagome-chan?"

"Is it okay if I meet you two at the dorm?" She questioned.

Blinking again, Megumi stayed silent for a few second before noticing the miko's eyes falling back to the paper. She nodded; she gave her a smile. "Yeah, no problem. I'll tell Souma-kun you went ahead of us."

"Thanks." Kagome gave her a smile back, knowing Megumi was probably curious about her early leave. Taking another glance at the red head talking with Konishi, she could only shake her head. What she needed was that confidence of his to survive in this school, and that meant finding her drive and specialty.

* * *

Staring at the paper in her hands, Kagome was not even sure why she was listening to her curiosity. She had already learned from her feudal adventures her curiosity was one to avoid. Yet, here she was in front of a building with no clue what was inside of it.

Her eyes lowered back to the paper; why would Hayama even give her this? His words repeated in her head.

" _ **I work in a research society that concentrates on making spices and herbs. You are more than welcome to join. Not many are allowed to join, but…I see potential in you."**_

"Potential, huh?" She whispered to herself. She only had a few days with the label as a Totsuki student, but did she even want to become a chef like the rest? Seeing Souma and even his new 'rival' Ikumi go at it gave her a sense of emptiness. Maybe she was not cut out to be part of the culinary world? But for Hayama to say she had potential, perhaps she had something. _'Maybe taking a look inside wouldn't hurt…'_

As her fist rose to knock on the door, she became startled at the sight of Hayama appearing on the other side. She chuckled nervously upon seeing his confused blink. "G-Gomenasai," she stuttered, "I came to see the research society…"

Hayama stared back. He did not expect to see her back so quickly. Most people in Totsuki avoided the research society seeing how under budget it was and most only concentrating in areas they deemed was important. Nodding, he stood under the door frame. "I am surprised you came so quick, Higurashi-san. Most people aren't even interested in a two-person research society."

"Two people?"

Sighing under his breath, he lifted the piece of paper between his index and middle finger. "Unfortunately, I was just sent to go to the store to buy a few things so I can't really show you the research society today."

"Oh! We have a visitor!?"

The sudden female voice made the two teens jump before noticing a petite brunette female lowering herself below Hayama's arm to get a look at the miko. Kagome at the girl with big round glasses and long brown hair held into a high ponytail wearing a white coat. Was she a student?

Watching her duck down, the said female grabbed the miko's hand into a handshake. "It's very nice to see Hayama-kun making friends! No one ever comes here and pulls him into a chat!"

"Oi." His eyes narrowed.

"What's your name?" She smiled, ignoring Hayama's intimidation.

"Higurashi, Kagome." The miko replied, still confused. "Um, and you are?"

"This is Shiomi Jun." Hayama replied, sighing again. "She is in charge of the research society."

Blinking down at the smiling female, Kagome wondered how a student came to be in charge of something most students would not be permitted to do so.

"She is a professor in the academy." Hayama continued, receiving a wide eyed look from the miko. "What?"

"A-A professor?" She repeated, turning her head towards Jun. "You look so young…"

"Oh, why thank you." She smiled brightly as her hands came to cup both of her cheeks. "Well spices do wonders on the skin, you know."

"Actually, I invited Higurashi-san here to join the research society." Hayama pointed with his thumb. "She is well informed on herbs and spices."

Kagome shook her heads noticing the immediate interest from Jun's expression. "J-Just herbs, really. And I wouldn't say I am that informed." That was no lie. After witnessing Hayama's elegant cooking and his way of easily telling which spices worked just with his sense of smell, her own knowledge was nothing.

Jun hooked her fingers under her chin in thought as she observed the miko in front of her. For Hayama to recommend someone, that was definitely odd and rare in her book, but that meant he noticed something that could be of use in the society she worked hard for. "Hmm," she nodded, "well first years aren't usually allowed to work in research societies until their second year, but I can see what I can do. After all, Hayama-kun is recommending you to the society so you must have caught his eye."

Seeing her smile – that can be described as a mother's pride for her son – Kagome could not help but look at Hayama again. He simply shook his head in response to Jun's implications. Nodding back, Kagome gave her a small bow with her head. "If I can't, don't worry. Being recommended, as you said, is an honor." She was just curious to begin with.

Hayama's eyes dropped to her fingers; his nose caught the smell of other herbs associated with those used on meat. He raised a brow. What was she working on?

Kagome took another look at the building. Run down with different types of metals, she could tell the research society probably had the lowest support of Totsuki. _'And after hearing Hayama-kun saying it was only them two, I wonder why.'_ She smiled at Jun and gave her another respectful bow. "Thank you again. I'll be sure to visit even if I can't be admitted."

Returning the smile, Jun waved her goodbye. "Of course. A friend of Hayama-kun's is always welcome here."

"Jun." His tone hardened. He huffed, knowing the professor would only ignore him. Turning his head back to the miko, he gave her a small nod before watching her leave the front.

He could only wonder how far the girl would go if that fire inside of her did not start.

* * *

"What the heck is Yukihira thinking!?"

"Mah, mah," Isshiki chuckled, seeing the young girl grasping the sides of her head, "I am sure he has a plan of some sort, Yoshino-chan."

Sighing defeatedly over the table and spreading her arms out, Yoshino glared at the school paper in front of her. News about the Shokugeki quickly made the paper, and now there it was: Ikumi versus Souma. She groaned, annoyed with the fact the idiot had not listened to Isshiki or know about the consequences of taking on Shokugekis just like that. "Everyone in the academy is talking about it!"

"Calm down, Yuki!" Sakaki patted her shoulder.

Megumi grabbed the paper from the table with a heavy sigh. Despite Souma being capable to cook good dishes, he was dealing with someone who had the upper hand. "I told him I would do my best to help, but we have too little time…"

"Hey."

The three girls and Isshiki turned their heads to the entrance of the dining room. A smile appeared over Isshiki's lips seeing the miko entering with her school bag in hand. "Konbanwa, Kagome-chan! Busy day?"

Kagome chuckled nervously. Why did she feel like a criminal? All she was doing was seeing another society. "Somewhat." She replied. Before she could place her school bag on one of the chairs to join them, she was immediately grabbed the shoulders. The miko's eyes widened, taken back by Yoshino's frightened and angered expression.

"Control the baka!" Yoshino shouted.

"I-I'm trying…" A sweat drop hung over the miko's head.

"I am surprised he took on a challenge that quick." Isshiki spoke, grabbing his cup of tea. "I do hope he knows he will have to have a plan."

Looking up at the stairs leading to the second floor, Kagome's brows furrowed. The idiot needed a talk.

* * *

With a small gap allowing visual into Souma's room, Kagome could only stare at the said boy laying on his bed as he held one of the don books in the air. Flip after flip, she could see his brows furrow each time. Kagome sighed, knowing there was going to be no way to pull him out of the Shokugeki.

He was a stubborn boy.

The soft force of her knock made the door open a bit wider. She gave herself permission to walk in; her eyes wandered over to the suitcase carrying his knifes on the desk and opened: sharpened.

"You really are an idiot." She whispered, walking over to the knifes.

"I thought you already knew that about me." He chuckled, flipping through the book.

Raising a brow, she looked at the Yukihira boy over her shoulder. "You are admitting you are?"

"Hehe~," his shoulders jumped slightly with his laugh, "we both are stubborn, though."

She parted her lips to bark back at his comment, but quickly pressed them together. There was nothing she could say to prove that wrong. She exhaled against before looking back at the knifes in his case. Her fingers slowly rose to touch the handle only to freeze her actions. A frown took over her lips; her brows furrowed in with guilt.

With the silence having stretched too long, which was rare when it came between the two of them, Souma lowered the book down to his chest to see his childhood friend staring at his knife set. The frown on her face was not missed. Sighing under his breath, the young Yukihira slowly rose from his bed before making his way towards his desk.

"Don't worry." He spoke, pulling her out of her thoughts and taking out one of his knifes. "I got this."

A big smile appeared, making the miko to give him a small smile back before her eyes landed on the scar on his left eyebrow. She nodded, turning her back on him. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't come crying or begging if you lose, Souma-kun."

He chuckled back, watching her leave his room. She cared too much at times.

* * *

Stretching out her arms out with her yawn, Kagome was greeted with an empty campus. So much for her Saturday to be a sleep-in day; the things she did for the stubborn Yukihira. For him to request to meet in the club room confused her. It was not like she could help him create anything special, nonetheless for a Shokugeki.

Feeling her sighs almost coming empty, the miko made her way towards the main building only to stop at the sudden appearance of the silver haired male. She blinked, taken back by his presence. _'My aura-readings must really be rusty if I didn't even sense him…'_

His green eyes blinked back, but the rest of his expression remained unchanged. "Higurashi-san." He spoke. "Ohayou gozaimasu."

"O-Ohayou gozaimasu, Hayama-kun." She chucked nervously. "What are you doing on the main campus this early in the morning?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Well, he got her there. The corner of her lips twitched, avoiding his questioning gaze.

"I see the other transfer student got himself involved in a Shokugeki." Hayama spoke, bringing back the miko's attention onto him.

Kagome blinked, seeing the same school paper in his hand. She could not help but eye the stupid look on Souma's picture that was clearly on his registration papers and school ID. Shoulders dropping, Kagome nodded. "Unfortunately; the baka doesn't know how to keep his nose out of other people's business." She looked to the side. _'Then again, neither do I.'_

He scoffed back, looking back at the headlines for the Shokugeki. "Just let him know it won't be easy. He only has today and tomorrow morning to think about his recipe." His eyes narrowed at the miko. "Also, I spoke with Jun."

"Jun?" Kagome repeated. "Ah, the professor…"

"Seems like you may be able to join us."

Surprised by the fast news, Kagome could only muster a few blinks before realizing he was waiting on her reply, or excitement – if that was what he wanted. Nodding slowly, Kagome gave him a small smile. "Ah, well…thanks." Her sheepish laugh came out, unsure what to express. "Although I am unsure if I am cut out to be part of Shiomi-sensei's society."

Hayama's brow rose; what was she talking about?

"I'll give it some thought." She bowed. "Please give her my thanks, Hayama-kun."

With one nod, Hayama watched the miko walk past him before disappearing into the halls of the main building. He scoffed before bringing out a cinnamon stick from a small bag tucked in his pocket. Taking a whiff of the spice, he finally sighed.

That spark inside of her had yet to be ignited. The moment it was, he was sure she would become a threat to his own skills.

* * *

Sliding the door open, Kagome was taken back by the sight of Megumi and Konishi asleep with their heads resting over the counter. She blinked before moving her gaze towards the red head staring outside the window. "Not going well, huh?" She asked, walking over the fallen notebooks.

Souma sighed; shoulders dropped with his exhale. "Well, according to Konishi-senpai, Nikumi is really someone we got to look out for. He apparently ate one of Nikumi's steaks at an academy event.

' _Nikumi?'_ The miko's brow crooked up. _'Is he talking about Ikumi-san?'_

"Apparently, her level 'A5' meat was drinkable."

"Drinkable?" Kagome repeated. "Is…that even possible?"

He shrugged back as he saw some of the bowls he had served to Megumi and Konishi only half eaten. Up since four in the morning, their stomach had become upset with one meal after another. "Konishi-senpai says the second you take a bite of her meat, it transforms into a mass of umami that slips down your throat." He scoffed, remembering Konishi's words. "It's an expensive meat. The 'Mito Clan', as Konishi-senpai called it, operates a large-scale meat wholesale business that rivals another huge Japanese meat company that ships worldwide."

"Do you have the money for it?"

"Does it look like I have that money?" Digging into his pockets, he brought out one five thousand yen and two one-thousand yen bills. "The old man thinks I can survive off from this!"

A sheepish laugh escaped the miko. It was no surprise Joichiro would do that to his own son.

"All ingredients for the Shokugeki also have to be prepared by yourself." Souma added. He scratched the back of his head, groaning as ideas were not coming to him. "We even tried most of the don recipes they have here and nothing seemed to impress Konishi-san compared to Nikumi's. Kago-chan-"

"Stop calling me that."

"What is your favorite don?" He asked.

Hooking her fingers under her chin, Kagome looked away in thought. "My favorite don? Hmm, well I love udon."

"That isn't a don dish." His eyes narrowed.

"Ah…right." She tapped her chin. Don bowls consisted of rice bowls and something on top. "You said you tried all variations of dons, right? Maybe stop thinking about the meat itself and think about the bowl as a whole."

Souma blinked, turning around to face the miko. "As a whole?"

Kagome nodded back. "Beef is something I don't like to eat as often, and it can be heavy for one's stomach. If you have rice, which fills you up quickly, you won't finish the bowl, right?" She pouted, thinking back to the simple don bowl back in the feudal era before they even had a name. "You want your customers to finish their meal; you need flavors complimenting each other rather than compete against each other." She blinked at the given confusion from Souma's expression. "Think about it…beef is heavy and needs a lot of seasoning, so why not mess with the rice?"

Blinking again, Souma's mind slowly took in the miko's words. He quickly grasped the miko's shoulders, bringing her close. "Kago-chan! You're a genius! I think I got it now!"

"E-Eh?"

* * *

"Here are the ingredients and tools you need for the match. I got everything you asked for."

Souma nodded as he re-checked his ingredients and supplies on the counter as they waited in one of the waiting rooms inside the arena. Turning around, he gave a smile to the leader of the Don RS. "Arigatou, Konishi-senpai!"

Konishi blinked, worried over Souma's mental health. He was a first year and this was a Shokugeki against Ikumi, a person working under the honorable and strong Nakiri Erina. Placing his hands over his hips, Konishi's brows furrowed with concern. "Did you get any sleep, Yukihira?"

"Well," he lowered his eyes on the rice bowl on the counter, "after last night, I tweaked the sauce a little more. I think I got a good two hours."

Megumi sighed, just as worried as Konishi about the outcome. Hearing the door to their waiting room open, she turned around. "Ah!" A small smile broke through her anxiety. "Kagome-chan!"

Walking into the room, she could feel the heavy auras of Megumi and Konishi beginning to tire them out, but then there was the bright and excited aura radiating from the red head. She sighed as she made her way inside. "Hey, Megumi-chan." She gave Konishi a bow before coming to stand behind the red head. Watching him recount the onions in the bag, she wondered if he was able to get the meat he needed. "Did you go to buy the meat you wanted?"

"Of course!" Souma grinned. "It was my lucky day, too!"

"How are you two so calm…?" Megumi questioned, amazed by the calm composure the two held. "I checked the arena and there are so many people…! For times like this, you should write the kanji for 'man' on your palm!"

Kagome and Souma blinked, seeing the girl following her own advice while pacing around the room. Chuckling at her cute behavior, Kagome patted Megumi's back. "Trust me, I am nervous, but I am just nervous this baka's confidence gets to his head and gets him kicked out."

"Eh~," Souma smirked, "but confidence is what you need to prevail."

"Not yours." She quickly replied.

A knock on the door made them turn to see one of the Totsuki staff holding a clipboard and a walkie talkie in hand. "We will begin in five minutes; please start heading to the arena."

"Yosh!" Souma nodded, grabbing his case from the counter. "Let's save Don RS!"

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen! Sorry for the wait!" The host, a black haired Totsuki student wearing a pink bow behind her head, held the microphone in her hands as she stood in the middle of the stage. "The administration has deemed this match an official Shokugeki! I am Kawashima Urara, a first year in the high school division! I'll be your host for this event!" Delivering a wink to the audience, Urara grinned with pride as the males in the audience chanted her name while ignoring the glares of the females.

Clearing her throat, Urara stretched her hand to the left, giving the audience the view of the incoming participant of the Shokugeki. "Now," she continued, "the contestants will be coming in from each corner! The first one to enter is…" The characters of the name appeared one by one on the screens above the stage as the contestant walked up the stairs leading to the platform. "The Meat Master, Mito Ikumi!"

"Alright!" Urara smiled, turning to the other corner. "Here comes the other contestant!"

As the name appeared on the screen, negative calls from the crowd were thrown down on the young Yukihira and the three behind him. Urara chuckled nervously as the 'boo's' echoed throughout the arena. "T-The transfer student no one can stop talking about, Yukihira Souma-kun!"

"Boo!"

"Die, shithead!"

"Don't think we haven't forgotten that crap you pulled on the first day!"

The miko's brow twitched with annoyance as she heard the death threats and anger being spewed on the red head. Comments about the orientation were brought up, making her look at Souma to see his reaction.

"Oi. Oi." Konishi blinked, frightened over the negative welcome. "What's up with this huge crowd? I didn't expect it this big, and what's up with this uproar?" Turning towards the red head, a sweat drop appeared. "Didn't you just transfer in this spring? Why do you have so many haters?"

Turning his head left and right, Souma tapped his chin with his index finger in thought. One brow crooked up, confused over the crowd's 'booing'. "I don't know. I haven't done anything that I can think of?"

"Seriously?" The corner of the miko's lip twitched.

"Well, then!" Urara spoke. "Allow me to run through the process. There will be three judges. The theme is don. And the main ingredient is meat! If Mito-san wins, the Donmono Research Society will be shut down, and Yukihira-kun will be expelled. If Yukihira-kun wins, Don RS's budget will be increased, and their cooking facilities will be upgraded. In addition, Mito-san will join Don RS!"

Watching Souma meet her on the platform, Ikumi smirked as she rested her hands on her hips. "Hey, transfer student! Today will be the last day I ever talk to you. If you have any last words, now's the time to say them."

"Oh yeah?" Souma grinned back. Untying the white headband from his arm, he quickly placed it over his forehead before turning his back on his opponent. "We can still talk anytime we want in the Don RS club room."

Ikumi's eyes narrowed. Did he seriously think he could win against her? Especially in her area of specialty? Scoffing, Ikumi turned around to face her station only to see the crowd looking up on the VIP rooms.

The miko blinked, seeing Erina making her way towards a chair as her assistant followed behind. Judging by the look of the luxurious room, she was beginning to think those with a high status in Totsuki received an expensive treatment.

"Oi, look!" Some of the students in the crowd whispered. "It's Nakiri Erina!"

"Erina-sama…"

The room fell silent; eyes remained glued on the tenth seat.

Ikumi's lips parted, knowing everything was at stake her. Even her link to 'God's Tongue'.

* * *

"Seriously!?" Yoshino exclaimed, astonished to see Erina making an appearance to a low level Shokugeki. Relaxing back on her seat, she looked at the rest of the dormitory students beside her. "Why would she be here?"

Adjusting his glasses – making sure he was seeing clear – Marui's eyes narrowed. "Why would one of the Elite Ten bother to attend a Shokugeki involving Don RS?"

"That's because Mito is in Nakiri Erina's faction, isn't it?" Ibusaki commented, crossing his arms.

"Really?" Sakaki tilted her head to the side. "I mean, could that be the only reason?" It was not the first time one of the Elite Ten members had lackeys on their side, but many of them did not even bother checking up on them knowing they had the skills to defeat their opponents.

* * *

Ikumi's smile broke out as she saw Erina's nod. _'Erina-sama has come all this way to watch us?!'_

Keeping her own focus on the tenth seat above, Kagome felt this had to do more than just seeing the Don RS become history. Considering their small 'history' with her, Kagome knew Erina held a little grudge against Souma and herself.

"Now, then! Let us proceed! Contestants, to your stations! Everything is at stake in this battle of the palates! Let the Shokugeki…begin!"

Horns echoed throughout the arena, signaling the start of the battle. Looking over her shoulder, Ikumi scoffed at Souma's slow pace. "Oi! Transfer student! I'll show you an ingredient that a low-life piece of trash like you could never hope to touch for the rest of his sorry life!"

"Huh?" Souma looked over his shoulder.

"Behold, the ultimate meat!" Ikumi moved to the side, displaying the whole body of meat hanging from a hook. The cold fog surrounded the meat; the quality shined just through the color.

"Ah!" Konishi took a step back. "I knew she would go for that! It's A5 beef!"

"A5, huh?" Kagome nodded. Despite not knowing a lot of cooking techniques and recipes, she was becoming thankful to the school: she was learning something. _'So they weren't lying when they said Ikumi-san had the access to high quality meat.'_ Watching Ikumi take out her butcher knife, she effortlessly began to slice up chunks of the meat to severe the tendons and keeping the shape of the cuts smooth.

"That's a cleaver for butchering the meat." Konishi whispered, amazed by her precision. "Her strength is incredible!" His eyes sparkled at the sight of the big chunk of shoulder meat that was placed over a pan. "I-I have never seen marbling that fine! That shine of the fat and the meat itself is unbelievable!"

Ikumi placed her hand over the meat as she leaned towards it to catch the smell. _'That's a good boy.'_ She smirked. _'There's a faint sweetness that tickles your nose. As meat ages, the quantity of umami factors like glutamic acid increases, resulting in a sweet smell. I'm going to prepare the finest meat with my finest skills!'_

Watching her sear the meat on a pan over the stove with butter, Kagome crossed her arms. The smell of the meat wafted around the arena, making mouths water just at the sight of the meat browning. "She is trying to keep the meat juices inside by making a seal around the meat. She is going to put it in the oven later…" Megumi and Konishi blinked as they came to stare at the miko. Feeling their stares on her person, Kagome blinked back. "What?"

"How do you know that, Kagome-chan?" Megumi asked, wondering.

Kagome – confused herself- wondered how her words slipped through her lips without thinking. It was not like she knew cooking techniques to be certain on what they would do, but she had seen Yukihira's father do it multiple times in the restaurant when she was a kid. Was it her memories that made her speak?

Before she could reply to Megumi's question, they heard the oven door close. Curiosity rose as they saw Ikumi smirking at the meat inside the oven. Ikumi chuckled, turning around to see Souma's progress. _'Now, how is the transfer student doing?'_

"As for Yukihira-kun," Urara spoke, wondering like the rest of the crowd, "it seems he has just finished mincing many onions." Seeing the tray of minced onions on the screen, Urara's brow raised in question. "What could he be using those for? Oh!" She shouted, seeing Souma put his hand inside the cooler. "Looks like he is finally taking the meat out!" As Souma took out a plastic bag, she waited with eagerness to see what he would show. "Let's see how his meat measures up to Mito-san's A5-grade wagyu beef!"

Eyes blinked; all of them blinked upon reading the store's name on the plastic bag: Sendai – Discount Supermarket.

"Eh?" Urara whispered into the microphone.

"Well, look at that." Kagome nodded, finally realizing where he had gone in the morning to buy the meat. And by the looks of the students, everyone was in shock. Souma took out the simple sirloin steak and placed it on the counter. With the sticker prices still on it, she sighed. "Half off…"

"Cheap…?" Ikumi blinked.

"Half off!?" Urara exclaimed.

"Oh?" Souma looked up, realizing the silence. "Ah!" A – goofy – grin appeared over his lips. "I was lucky! They happened to be on sale!"

His laugh overran the silence in the arena as his grin was plastered on the screens.

"Bullshit!"

"Get out!"

"Ah! Please stop!" Urara squealed as she tried dodging the trash that was being thrown by the angry students. "Please stop throwing things!"

Ducking at the trash being thrown towards the stage, Kagome glared at the boys closest to the stage. She quickly picked up one of the empty bottles off the floor. "Oi! Don't be throwing things!" This school was starting to get on her nerves!

"K-Kagome-chan!" Megumi hugged her arm, stopping her from creating more violence. To see Kagome snapping was a sight to remember, but being in public was a problem and the last thing she wanted was Kagome being suspended.

Ikumi scoffed as Souma began to season the cheap meat. "I've seen enough. You can just use the rest of the allotted time to pack up your stuff." She turned around to take out the meat from the oven. Placing the hot tray over the stove, Ikumi smiled with pride upon hearing the sizzle of her art.

* * *

"Can you tell what the foundation of her cooking is, Hisako?" Erina asked, resting her cheek over her knuckles. Observing Ikumi's moves, she chuckled as soon as her lackey took out the thermometer from the side and stuck it into the meat.

Taking a few seconds to watch Ikumi's movements, Hisako blinked before turning her focus back on the tenth seat. "Could it be the sheer strength she has that allows her to dissect a carcass with ease?"

"Well, you aren't wrong there. But her true strength lies in the opposite direction. It's her delicate sensibility. The lips are one of the most sensitive body parts when it comes to heat. Even so, her ability to determine the actual temperature is unique." Erina's lips stretched into a deeper smirk. "Mito Ikumi's sensibility shines brightest when she handles meat."

* * *

"Sixty-four…" Ikumi whispered, placing the sharp metal of the thermometer over her lips. "No, sixty-five degrees Celsius." Placing the meat over the cutting board, she began to slice the meat from the end. People were beginning to be drawn by her precision and her slender fingers carefully handling the meat. _'I will present this victory to Erina-sama!'_

Her eyes picked up the sound of searing from behind; Ikumi turned her head over her shoulder to see Souma browning the onions over the pan with butter. "Oh? You're still here?" She scoffed. "Why have you grown quiet all of a sudden, transfer student? What happened to all that bravado from three days ago?"

The sound of the pan continued; eyes narrowed on Yukihira's back.

"Say something." She rolled her eyes. "You're pathetic-"

"I don't need to say anything." Souma cut her off. "My don will soon be telling an eloquent tale. Besides…," he raised his finger up to his lips, "it's common knowledge that any chef who talks too much in the kitchen can't be trusted to have actual skills."

Ikumi's eyes widened as the insult sunk in. "A-Are you mocking me-!?" Her knees buckled as soon as Souma moved the onions from one pan to another; the smell of the buttered onions enveloped her with a need to get a taste. _'W-What? What is he trying to pull?!'_

Kagome chuckled, watching Ikumi return to her station. Souma was a stubborn idiot, but when he cooked, he was serious. It did not matter how big or small the plate was or if the person eating was important or not, he gave it his all.

"Nee, Megumi-chan."

The said girl blinked after hearing her name in mid-whisper. Turning her head to the side, she noticed the miko's smile directed on Souma's back.

"You asked why he didn't feel nervous, right?" Kagome felt her shoulders relax, seeing Souma's moves become fluid. No hesitation; he was focused. It was the same look he always held when he was in the restaurant. "This is nothing to him." She spoke. "He has always thought the most nerve wreaking thing to him is having his customers in his restaurant watch him cook." Although over the years he also gained enough confidence to push those nerves to the side, Kagome was always amazed since they were little how easily Souma could cook in front of customers.

Now that she thought about it, the Shokugeki was nothing to him after all. Nothing compared to having the reputation of his restaurant on the line.

"Now, time's almost up!" Urara announced. As soon as the last five seconds were up, Urara raised her hand up. "Finish! We will now begin the judging! Mito-san's dish will go first."

Walking up to the front and placing her dish in front of the three judges, she smiled at the finish product. A plate of rice covered by pieces of meat adjusted to form a bloomed rose. Ikumi chuckled at sight of the hungry judges. "Mines a 'Roti' Don made with A5 wagyu beef!" She presented.

"'Roti' is French for "roast"!" Urara added. "It's often used to denote dishes cooked in the oven!"

"Eh~," Kagome tilted her head to the side, "so there is a name for that technique…"

"My," one of the female judges spoke, Shigeno Kuraki, as she marveled at the sight of the beef, "the sliced meat is like a flower. I'm honored to see such a beautiful don. Let's all dig in."

All three judges voiced their gratitude for the food before digging into the hot dish. One by one, the judges exploded with the beef's tender texture. Shigeno quickly felt her body react to the strong flavors swirling on her tongue. "It's so delicious!" She exclaimed. "It's paralyzing!"

Another judge nodded, eyeing the delicate work of the beef on the plate. "This is it! This profound umami is the A5's true strength!" Yoshiki Bito, critic of meat restaurants, smiled at the marvelous red tint of the beef. "And this meat…she has even calculated the angle of the cooking heat. When heat is applied perpendicular to the grain of the meat, heat spreads evenly, and more juices are released. The best chefs take even the grain of the meat into account!" He scooped up a bit of the rice resting underneath the meat. "Oh! What is this?"

The last judge, Katsunori Okamoto, leaned forward with excitement at the sight of the rice. "The garlic rice sautéed in beef fat and butter is exquisite! I could easily eat three bowls of this rice alone! This dish is fantastic, even seductive! It's superb!"

Ikumi smiled, sneaking a glance of the red head beside her. _'Do you get it no, transfer student? You can't beat me in my turf.'_

Hearing the students around praise Ikumi's dish and the judges' flattery, Konishi gulped nervously. "Well, crap. The crowd seems to think Nikumi has won!"

There was no denying the crowd and the judges were leaning more towards Ikumi's dish, but seeing Souma confidently walk with his covered dishes in hand, Kagome felt a sense of peace. She only hoped his half-off steak was delicious enough to beat Ikumi's 'magic' beef.

"Let's have the judges evaluate Yukihira-kun's dish next!" Urara slid towards the red head. "What would you call your don?"

"Huh?" Souma blinked, seeing the head of the microphone before his lips. "Oh! Well, how about the Yukihira-style Chaliapin Steak Don?"

Yoshiki sighed, resting his chin over his palm as he heard the title of Souma's dish. "The Chaliapin steak, huh? So you used onions to tenderize cheap meat. But how would it measure up after what we just tasted?"

"Indeed," Katsunori laughed, "I'd just rather go home while savoring the lingering flavor of A5 beef."

Muting the judges' talk, Souma placed each bowl in front of them before removing the lids. The steam of the food mixed with the strong and flavorful scent; a display of rice with a steak on top adorned with a mountain of golden brown onions made them silent. They gulped, feeling the mouths beginning to water just at the sight.

"W-Well, it looks more promising than I had initially thought." Yoshiki could only stare at the juices from the onions seep into the steak and onto the rice. "Guess we will give it a try."

Ikumi's eyes tightened as she saw the judges, one by one, take a bite of Souma's dish. "Keh." She rolled her eyes. _'There's no way that cheap meat could turn into anything decent-!'_

Her focus and everyone else's immediately fell on the judges quickly digging into the dish without a break. Bite after bite, the judges began to almost inhale the bowl, having picked it up from the table to get more of the exquisite flavor.

"I-I can't stop eating!" Shigeno sighed, seeing her bowl more than half eaten. "The meat is the most tender!"

"But it's the sauce!" Yoshiki added. "This special minced onion sauce is most excellent for the appetite! What is it exactly?!"

"This full-bodied flavor must be from the red wine he added to the pan after the steak was done!" Katsunori's eyes widened, picking up some of the rice from underneath the meat. "He must have deglazed the pan with it, then sautéed the onion in the sauce! Thickened with potato starch, the creaminess of the sauce coating the meat and rice is irresistible!"

Shigeno placed the bowl down, admiring the work and colors of the dish. "Not to mention, the flavors are rounded off with burnt soy sauce! He leveraged the burnt soy sauce to deepen the flavor!"

' _Sauce?!'_ Ikumi's teeth clenched. _'Sauce is just sauce! It's got nothing on my premium meat!'_

"Even though the meat and sauce are both strong in flavor," Yoshiki spoke, "I only get hungrier with every bite. Not to mention, there is a hint of acidity…"

A smile broke into the miko's lips as she heard the praises. There was no doubt in her mind the crowd, including Ikumi, were amazed by the judges' excitement. She chuckled under her breath, knowing Souma had listened to her 'random' advice the night before.

"Ah, yes." Souma nodded, bringing a clear jar with a red substance inside. "The trick is in the rice."

"The rice?" Ikumi repeated.

"I mixed handmade pickled plum paste into the don's rice!" Souma presented, showing the jar to the judges. "It's Refreshing Plum-Flavored Rice!"

Ikumi took a step back, shocked to hear something as simple as that would make the judges go crazy. _'P-Pickled plum…? That's it…? He may have tweaked things, but it doesn't change the fact that each ingredient is cheap!'_

The judges continued with the meal, taking every bite and grain of rice into their mouths. Bowls soon hit the table, making the judges sigh with sadness. Katsunori stared at the empty bowl before him. "Man, I'm already done! Is there any seconds? The Roti Don was fantastic, as well, but this don is better at making you want to eat more."

"What-?!" Ikumi exclaimed, quickly stopping herself from barking back as soon as she saw her own plate being only half finished. Her garlic rice was sitting there cold.

"Oh yeah." Souma whispered, catching Ikumi's attention. "I've been wondering what you were going to do about the rice ever since Konishi-san said you would be using marbled wagyu beef." He chuckled, walking closer to his opponent. "It was thanks to a friend of mine that made me realize what I had forgotten: complimenting dishes. If you 'beef' up the rice on top of amplifying the wagyu beef's umami, they're just going to compete. Your dish may look like a don, but it's not a real don." Souma smirked as he held the bowl in his hand. "Don RS's leader said that the don has to be a complete package in one bowl."

Ikumi's clenched her teeth further as her fists began to tremble at her side. "Shut up! I'm not interested in your twisted logic! There is no way you can defeat my premium meat-!"

"If you're not convinced," Soma interrupted, "why not try it yourself." Handing her a hot plate of his don, Souma smirked at the sight of her watering appetite. "Listen to the story my don tells. Dig in."

Kagome watched Ikumi's hands hesitate to take the bowl from Souma's hand. Slowly taking the bowl and chopsticks, Ikumi stared at the appetizing onions begging to be tasted. Onions that had made her weak when he was cooking them. She gulped before taking the first bite; she bit her lower lip the second the flavors of the meat and rice embraced her warmly and with need to have more. Before realizing it, she continued to take one bite after another. _'He's right…'_ Ikumi's eyes softened. _'This don talks to you.'_ She cursed under her breath upon seeing the empty bowl in her hand. She hated herself for falling under his food's spell.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, judges pushed the button choosing the chef they favored. The name of the winner quickly appeared over the screen: Yukihira Souma. Kagome's lips parted slightly as she saw Souma having won over all three judges.

"What a surprise!" Urara exclaimed. "The victor is Yukihira Souma!"

Removing the headband, Souma nodded towards the judges. "Glad you enjoyed it!"

"Wah! Souma-kun's is amazing!" Megumi cheered as Konishi's tears sprouted out from the joy.

Coming to meet the red head on the stage, Kagome was given a huge grin. "I did it." Souma chuckled.

Giving out a soft snort, Kagome shook her head. "Yeah, but I think you just got lucky." She would not admit it, but seeing Souma cook through the Shokugeki, she felt a small spark inside of her wanting to try it as well. Whatever she felt, she had no idea what it was, but she felt the need to try it. At least Souma had proved he was not one to mess with – for now. A small curse was caught by her ears; Kagome turned her head to the side to face the Meat Master.

Eyes continuing to hold onto her tears, Ikumi's head hung down in defeat. "I lost…" She whispered. " _I_ lost." She remembered Erina's presence; her head rose to look at VIP room. _'Erina-sama!'_ Ikumi gasped at the sight of Erina's disappointment before leaving the room. Her shoulders slumped knowing she had set a bad example of Erina's strength against the transfer student.

Souma noticed Kagome' focus on the blonde female staring at the empty room Erina had occupied. Walking forward – much to Kagome's and the other's surprise – he called her name. "Hey, Nikumi. Let me try some of your don, too."

Ikumi quickly faced the smug-faced Souma. "Who the hell do you think you are!? Don't call me that!"

"Why not?" Souma tilted his head to the side. "It's pretty cute when you write it out in hiragana. I'm looking forward to working with you, Nikumi-chan."

"H-Huh!?" A blush erupted over Ikumi's cheeks.

"Is he not afraid he will get hit…?" Konishi gulped behind the miko.

"Nah," Kagome waved her hand up and down, "he is used to my hits already. Besides, I think he is calling her that to get her out of her defeat." She scoffed, quickly reading Nikumi's aura slowly turning pink. "But that baka doesn't know how easily girls' could misread his 'kindness'."

Watching Ikumi sprint out of the arena – in fear of her embarrassment turning redder – Konishi took a step towards the red head before placing his hand over his shoulder. "Yukihira." He called. "You're really something, man. You're the only one who can lead the Don RS going forward. You're the 'don' of the new Don RS, Yukihira!"

Souma blinked, confused on the title. "Huh? Oh, I'm not joining Don RS."

"What!?" Konishi, Megumi, and Kagome shouted in unison.

"What?" Souma blinked again, unsure where the shock was coming from. "I just wanted to check it out. Well, thanks to Don RS, I came up with a new don menu that I might be able to serve at our restaurant someday-!" His head was quickly brought down into headlock, cutting off his words.

"You have a lot of nerve pulling us into this mess and saying you aren't joining, Souma-kun." Kagome glared. No matter how many years passed by, the idiot never learned to speak first before jumping into a challenge.

One day she was going to kill him for real.

* * *

Green eyes narrowed on Kagome's strangling of the red head. Standing up from his seat within the arena, the silver haired chef took out a cinnamon stick from his pocket before inhaling the sweet and spicy scent to calm him.

' _Yukihira Souma mentioned a friend helped him realize something that helped him create that dish.'_ His eyes remained on miko as Souma tried to free himself from his incoming death. _'No doubt she helped.'_

* * *

Mornings were beginning to hate her; Kagome's brows scrunched downwards as she heard the fumbling above her ceiling. Curling to the right, the miko hugged her blankets in hopes her sleep would come back.

"Kagome-chan~."

Her eyes tightened; she frowned. All she wanted was sleep.

"Oi! Kago-chan!"

How she missed the quiet feudal mornings. Then again, most mornings she was on edge not knowing when a demon, or Naraku, would attack. The modern era had a good thing: peaceful sleep on a nice warm bed.

"Ohayou, Kagome-chan~."

But even that she could not get.

"Kagome-chan~," the voice continued, "could you come and help with something? Can you come out once you get changed?"

The miko groaned as her eyes slowly opened to reveal a blurry view of her room. Hearing her name again through the copper pipes, she could not help but glare upon recognizing the voice: Isshiki. Pulling the sheets up to her head, Kagome replied. "I'm tired, Isshiki-senpai."

"Oh, come on, Kago-chan! He woke me up, so you have to come with!"

Kagome quickly looked up at her ceiling to see both Isshiki _and_ Souma staring down at her. Her eyes widened; her hand quickly grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it towards the red head (Isshiki dodging it easily). "What the hell are you two doing up there!?"

Isshiki blinked, surprised by Kagome's quick reaction and aim. Seeing Souma having fallen back, he gave the miko an apology. "Gomenasai." He chuckled nervously. "It's just…we need help."

"Help?" She groaned.

So much for sleep.

* * *

Souma's groggy eyes brought laughter into Yoshino. Wiping the tear off from the corner of her eye, Yoshino could not help but enjoy the view of an annoyed Kagome and a beaten-up Souma. "So I am guessing Isshiki-senpai woke you two up, huh?"

"Yeah." Kagome sighed. "And this guy joined in."

"I apologized, didn't I?" Souma rolled his eyes. Even after giving the miko her privacy, he was met with a headlock the second she made her way downstairs. Yoshino got a full view of Kagome's strength having witnessed the 'fight'. "I was curious about Isshiki-senpai's ways, so when he woke me up, I asked if I could join. I thought it would be okay because you know, we have known each other for so long-ugh!"

"Go to hell." Kagome elbowed him on the side. "Respect a girl's privacy."

Chuckling at their small feud, Yoshino tilted her head to the side. "It must be nice having childhood friends. How long have you known each other?"

"Unfortunately, since we were five." She replied.

"Really?" Souma blinked before bringing out his fingers as he counted. "Wow. It has been that long. You are getting old, Kago-chan-oomf!"

Retreating her foot from his shin, the miko continued to walk beside Yoshino as she led them behind the dorm building. "So we are going to help out with something?"

"Mmh!" Yoshino nodded, bringing her hands behind her head. "We're going to harvest veggies from the back garden."

"Eh, you guys even grow your own ingredients?" Souma asked as he caught up to the two girls.

Giving them a smile, Yoshino shrugged. "Well, the road to good food is paved with good ingredients! That's our dorm's motto, you see." The sound of a saw caught their attention over to Ibusaki beginning to saw through wood. "Ibusaki-kun makes smoke wood for his own use, and Ryoko-chan, who specializes in dishes using rice malt, has her own workspace. I want to breed a special Polar Star chicken like the French Bresse chicken, so," she stopped in her steps to show them the chickens she kept in a cage, "I am breeding some cage-free right now."

"That's amazing…" Kagome whispered. She was baffled to say the least. Everyone was so young and driven to their own specialties. After witnessing Souma's first Shokugeki, she felt a push to find her own skill if she wanted to survive in this school. _'Question is…what should I focus on?'_

"And this is the lot we manage," Yoshino spoke, showing the garden filled of different vegetables and fruits, "with Isshiki-senpai as our leader! It's a field where we grow over ten kinds of vegetables!"

"Woah!" Souma scanned the garden, amazed by the greenery. "Sugoi-!" His eyes immediately widened at the sight of a shadow at the end of the field using a hoe. Blinking, he poked the side of Kagome's arm. "Oi…is that…?"

Following his line of sight, Kagome's eyes narrowed to focus in on the figure. An apron; nothing else was worn. Both Souma and Kagome froze at the sight of the bright smile of their senpai as he waved at them with nothing but a thin white material covering his lower region.

"Ohayou, Souma-kun! Yoshino-kun! Kagome-chan! Morning labor is good for the spirit! Let's sweat together!"

"It fits him to a 'T'!" Souma exclaimed.

With an energetic chuckle, Isshiki rested the hoe over his shoulder as he made his was towards the three. "Knowing how food grows is part of our training. You can call this the Polar Star Farm, or even Isshiki Farm."

"Oh! Souma-kun! Kagome-chan!"

Kagome blinked, relieved to find a normal person greeting them in the morning. "Megumi-chan." She smiled, seeing the girl dressed in regular farm clothing while holding a basket full of ripe vegetables. "Ohayou!"

"Tadokoro! You're here, too!" Souma greeted.

She nodded back, showing them the basket in her hands. "See? Isshiki-senpai grew these vegetables. Don't they look delicious?"

"You know," Kagome whispered, "seeing Megumi-chan here…is very soothing."

"Yeah," Yoshino nodded, "Megumi-chan is a breath of fresh air at Polar Star."

Grabbing two tomatoes from Megumi's basket, Isshiki gifted them to the two new students. "Here you go. Try a bite."

Accepting with a thanks, Souma and Kagome started at the bright red tomato before taking a bite. Their taste buds exploded at the sweetness of the tomato, making them stare at it in disbelief.

"This is delicious!" Kagome commented. "How did you manage to grow something this high-quality?"

"It's plump and super sweet!" Souma added. "I would love to have these for our own restaurant!"

"Ah well," Isshiki shrugged, unsure how to give a reply, "it eats up all my time. I haven't been able to go to classes most of the time lately."

The miko's and Souma's eyes gloomed as a sweat drop fell onto their heads. With the corner of her lips twitching, Kagome spoke. "Ano, Isshiki-senpai. Don't you have your priorities backwards?" How he was still allowed in school was beyond her. But she was curious to know about gardening techniques. _'Maybe it can help me grow better quality herbs…'_

"Sorry to keep you guys waiting!"

Smiling at Ibusaki's and Sakaki's appearance, Isshiki tightened his hold on his gardening tool. "Yosh, everyone! Let's all work together to make this garden shine!"

* * *

Balancing the basket of spinach on her hip, the miko's attention was caught by the herbs growing on one of the other fields beside hers. She tilted her head to the side, quickly recognizing one of herbs. Kagome squatted down before gently checking the steam. _'This is aralia dordata.'_ A herb she had learned from Kaede to treat fevers and inflammation.

A small smile broke into her lips; she felt her heart beat at the memories of Kaede. A woman she had seen as her grandmother. Over the months in the feudal era, she had come to learn so much no normal high school kid would know.

She had witnessed a lot.

"Ah, the aralia cordata."

Tilting her head up, her smile melted upon getting a view of Isshiki's sweaty skin. "I-Isshiki-senpai…"

Squatting down himself, Isshiki pulled the herb out before inspecting it. "Hmm, I am surprised you saw it. Most people would think of this is a weed. But those who know about it use it for miso soup, although it is a rare dish using this."

"It can also heal fevers and inflammation." Kagome added.

Isshiki blinked, surprised by the information. Going back to stare at the herb, he rotated it around between his fingers. "Really? Well, you definitely learn something new every day." He took another look at the miko from the corner of his eyes. Aside from Souma's history with cooking, the bigger mystery was Kagome. To anyone in Totsuki who could read off a chef's skill with just one look, they could tell Kagome was nothing but an amateur – if that. But as he heard her talk about the different herbs and have high quality ones with her, her knowledge could surpass their own. Especially with old herbs such as the one he held now.

Not many were familiar with herbs like these.

"Woah!" Souma shouted, crunchy through a carrot. "This is delicious, too!"

"Souma-kun, you can't just be eating everything!" Yoshino scolded.

Kagome sighed, seeing the red head over her shoulder moving to the side to dodge Yoshino's effort to take away his 'snack'. "There he goes again…"

"Miina! Breakfast time!" Megumi called out, bringing out a large bento box onto the wooden table near the green house.

"Ah! My back is killing me!" Souma groaned, trying to pop it before feeling a light smack on the back of his head. "Oi!"

Kagome flicked him on his forehead. "You didn't even do anything."

"Here, Kagome-chan!" Megumi came in, holding one of the boxes towards the miko. "Grab one!"

Eyes landed on the many rice balls lined up carefully inside the bento box. From the looks of them, there were three different flavors seeing one topped with spring onion, one with seaweed on the top, and a plain one. "You made these, Megumi-chan?" Kagome asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. You can choose which ever you like. You must be hungry! Dozo!"

"I see!" Isshiki grabbed one with the seaweed. "It's the Tadokoro-chan Special, the Three Rice Balls!"

"Rice balls are great after fieldwork!" Souma nodded, trying to decide which one to go after.

Yoshino quickly grabbed the one topped with spring onion and did not let another second pass to give her thanks and take a bite. Her tongue and stomach welcomed the small bit of food; she squealed with delight. "So delicious! This is salt and green onion, right? Ah, the saltiness really does a number on your appetite!"

"Well, you kind of want salt after doing hard labor." Sakaki chuckled.

"This must be kelp!" Isshiki smiled, observing the rice ball in his hand. "It's a classic rice ball ingredient." Taking a bite, his eyes widened at the unexpected flavor exploding inside his mouth. "Kelp simmered in soy…and cheese!?"

"Hai!" Megumi smiled big. "The heavy sweet flavor of the kelp works surprisingly well with cheese!"

"Then what could be in the last one!?" Souma shouted, raising the rice ball up in the air as if it had been a treasure he had found underground.

Ignoring his outburst, Kagome took a bite first of the simple looking rice ball. Sweet and saltiness mixed on her tongue, making her look inside the rice ball. "This is delicious!" She exclaimed.

"It is!" Souma added. "The garlic flavor rocks!"

"This one is pork marinated with garlic!" Megumi spoke. "After seeing the two of you use honey in class the other day, I decided to try something based on that. I marinated boiled pork in a marinade of garlic, miso, sake, and honey. It goes well with rice, so I chopped it up and put it into rice balls! Oh! I also brought barley and roasted green tea, too."

As each one got a cup of tea and carefully took a sip, they sighed contently at the warmth of the tea giving them a sense of peace.

"Wah, this is the appeal of Tadokoro-chan's cooking." Isshiki's smile widened. "It soothes everyone."

Souma stared at the rice ball in his hand, amazed by the flavors complimenting each other. "The chicken isn't too dry and the pork is nice and tender, too. They all show signs of careful preparation. Then," his eyes landed on Megumi, "why can't you cook like this in class?"

Feeling like lightning struck her down, Megumi turned her back on them as she felt nerves slowly building up.

"Oi!" Kagome lightly punched his arm as she whispered. "Don't say it like that!"

"I-I have always had stage fright issues…" Megumi replied. "When I get nervous, I blank out and I just fail at everything."

"Ah," Souma nodded, "that's tough…"

"You should try to be more relaxed when you cook, Tadokoro-chan." Isshiki smiled.

Before they could continue with their breakfast, another voice from the entrance to the back kitchen made them turn. Fumio smirked as she held a letter and booklet in her hand while resting her free hand on her hip. "Get ready, kids! Totsuki's hell has just started!"

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** I am sure you all know what is coming, right? Well more characters are going to come. Also, quick question, to put the other Inuyasha characters (if I decide to do it last minute), will be extra tricky. So opinions?

P.S. So far, which pairing are you leaning towards? Hehehe~

Other than that, I hope you all enjoyed! Thank you for reading!

Please review!

Ja~ne!


	6. Wild Fires

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** I want to thank those who read and reviewed in the last chapter. Things are going to start progressing now, so thank you for being patient. Here is a birthday update for everyone! Enjoy! **  
**

 **Chapter 05:** Wild Fires

* * *

Cautiously drawing down the blinds to sneak a peek of the students walking about, Chapelle's eyes narrowed at the sight of the brochures in hand. "It's that time of the year again." He spoke, giving the room once again its darkness. Turning around to face the other chef instructors in the room, he sighed. "Did _they_ agree to participate this year?"

"It's been confirmed by the Elite Ten." One of the chefs spoke.

Nodding back, Chapelle's eyes lowered to the teacher's brochure of the upcoming camp.

Hell was about to flare once again.

* * *

Staring at the brochure in Souma's hands, both Kagome and the said boy blinked at the same time as they read the cover. From what they read, it seemed like a regular camp site to make new friends, play games, and make memories all while improving their skills as chefs. So…

"Why are you all shaking like baby deer?" Kagome blinked again seeing the other first years in the dorm frozen at the sight of the brochure. The second Fumio brought the individual invitations, everyone had stilled and stared at the envelope. No one opened it until they came inside the dining room. "It's just a camp, right?"

"It says 'Camp Training'." Souma added, flipping through the pages. It seemed harmful, and by the look of the pictures presented inside, it looked like a luxurious vacation.

"The time has finally come." Yoshino exhaled, feeling her whole soul almost puffing out. "I am surprised the two of you are so calm…"

"Why?" Souma questioned, turning to the female. "What is it?"

Coming forth, Sakaki had a feeling the two transfer students had no prior knowledge of the camp that awaited them. It was to be expected, especially while witnessing their calm expressions. "You two had something like this in elementary school and middle school, didn't you? It's like a camp where we all go and stay for a couple nights."

"So like field trips." Kagome spoke. Although it was a weird way to set up a camp out with classmates. How would they incorporate culinary skills into a camp that was about having fun and getting to know your class? Sensing the uncontrollable aura of another person next to her, the miko turned to see Megumi's attention having flown out the window. "Eh?" She blinked. "Megumi-chan?"

Marui sighed under his breath as he read through his own brochure. The fact the two had no idea what the camp's true objective was, was the most terrifying thing. Only a naïve student would go into the camp and think it was about camp fire and taking courage tests in a cave. "This camp represents the first circle of hell for new high school students."

Souma's and Kagome's eyes – glued on Marui – narrowed upon hearing his words. Hell?

"All first-years," Yoshino scratched the back of her head, "will be tasked with grueling cooking projects every day in a remote location in the mountains. If we don't earn a passing score, we face immediate expulsion! They claim it's an opportunity for friendship and kinship, but in reality…it's a merciless weeder training camp!"

As the words resonated in the miko's head, she could not help but raise a brow. _'So it's a camp to take out the 'weak'?'_ It made sense – now. She had been an outsider hearing this, she would have shrugged it off as nothing but as a drama queen story, but after witnessing the many types of personalities, it was possible.

"This is the competition in Totsuki." Isshiki added, crossing his arms. "The director spoke of the one percent, but this is where the selection process begins."

"Did you go last year, Isshiki-senpai?" Kagome asked, turning to the seventh seat.

Nodding back, Isshiki gave them a smile. "Even in my time, dozens got sent home and got expelled."

"Expelled?" Sato repeated.

"Numbers even dipped below half," Ibusaki sighed, catching the attention of the others, "of what they started off with in one camp some years ago."

"Half~."

Hearing a loud 'thump' on the floor, heads turned to see Megumi having fainted to the floor with her skin having gone pale at the thought of the camp. "Everyone…," Megumi whispered, "I'm grateful that we could be together until now…"

Kagome could only blink as Yoshino screamed for Megumi's conscious. She could not blame the poor girl for fainting as they all heard the rumors about the camp. If the camp was truly as 'evil' as they were explaining it to be, then it only meant things were about to get tougher.

"Hmm, so we can take cards and shogi, but no handheld gaming devices…man! They don't give us any time for taking a bath!"

The miko's ears twitched as she heard Souma ramble on. Turning her head to the red head, she took a step closer before taking the brochure from his hands. "Are you serious!?" She exclaimed. "Not even an hour?!"

"Who takes an hour?" Souma's eyes narrowed.

"I do." She glared back. "Excuse me for wanting to relax and be clean…unlike someone."

Souma's brow twitched, not letting it go she was talking about him. "What did you say about me?!"

"Well if the shoe fits."

The rest of the Polar Star residents could only stare as the two continued to argue back and forth. All were in panic about the upcoming camp and it amazed them how easily the two could find the time to be calm and argue like there was nothing else to worry about.

* * *

Staring at the barely put together building, Kagome sighed. She had no idea what had brought her back here of all places when she only had two days left to prepare for the 'Hell Camp'. Her shoulders dropped after releasing her tension. Raising her hand to knock on the door, Kagome waited a few seconds. She jolted in place hearing glass break, and a yelp from a fall from the inside. Blinking, Kagome was surprised by the abrupt opening of the door and showing none other than the club's leader.

"Ah!" She was greeted with a smile. "Kagome-chan, right?"

"Hai." Kagome nodded. "Ohayou, Shiomi-sensei."

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Jun opened the door wider to let the girl in. "S-Sorry for the mess, Kagome-chan. I was left in charge to look after some Hayama-kun's experiments. When you knocked on the door, I was startled. We don't get much visitors."

Nodding to her words, Kagome could not help but sweat drop at her clumsiness. Being a professor usually meant being poised, well, at least in this academy from what she had witnessed. But seeing Jun the way she was, it gave her a sense of peace, as ironic as it was. Led to the main room, Kagome looked around to see no sign of the silver haired chef.

"Are you here to see Hayama-kun?" Jun asked.

"Oh, um," Kagome turned around, scratching the back of her head, "I was just here to ask him some questions about this camp."

"Oh!" Jun clapped. "It's in two days, right?"

"Did…you also participate in your time, Shiomi-sensei?"

Gloom soon fell over the professor as memories of her days in the camp flooded her head. "Participate?" She sighed, head hanging low. "More like I was forced to. I still can't believe I made it out alive…"

Was the camp really that bad? It only made the miko wonder if she was going to survive. After hearing Isshiki's stories and the tasks they were given, it did sound grueling, but not in a nightmare level. Kagome tried her best to crack a smile as Jun continued to whisper out her memories. "Are you okay, Shiomi-sensei?"

"Ah, yes!" Jun cleared her throat. "But don't worry! Hayama-kun and you should do fine. Hayama-kun thinks highly of you already, and that doesn't happen all the time."

Kagome blinked, taken back by her words. Hayama…?

Shaking the dark thoughts away, Jun led her to the couches. "Hayama-kun should be back soon. Why don't I make some tea while you wait for him?"

Before Kagome could stop her from going so far to make her comfortable, Jun was already in her trance of whispers while walking out the room. Left standing in the middle of the room, Kagome sighed under her breath. Her eyes scanned the room: you could tell. From the many plates and jars on the main countertop, Kagome could tell Hayama was working hard to figure out the spices that best complimented each other. The small pots of herbs near the window drew her in; she read the labels in front of the herbs until she came to a specific one she recognized.

" _Benne_?" She questioned. She recognized it, but she was sure it was _sesame,_ right?

"Confused, huh?"

Kagome jumped as she heard the familiar voice. Turning around, the miko blinked as she saw the silver haired chef coming into the room with a bag of seeds. Had she really turned off her guard now that she was in the modern era? Placing her hand over her chest, she breathed out. "Don't scare me like that."

Hayama raised a brow back. "My apologies." Noticing the _benne_ herb in front of her, he chuckled. "It is known as _sesame,_ but it's other term is _benne_. It helps that way to memorize it." He placed the bag of seeds on the counter top before coming around to check the spices in the jars. "I take it you aren't here to water the herbs."

The miko remained silent while watching him jot down some notes on the notepad in front of him. Looking back at the herbs, her expression relaxed. "You know some of these herbs can be used for illness, right?"

Raising his brow again, Hayama straightened himself out to see her reading the names again. "Illness?" He repeated.

She nodded back.

"Then why not become a doctor?" He asked, turning to face her.

"Eh," she shrugged, "not really interested."

"And…you are interested in becoming a chef?"

Turning to him, she shrugged again. "Who knows; we will see."

Hayama blinked, unsure how to take her vagueness. Deciding it was best to let it slip for now, he returned to make some notes on the notepad.

"Did you also get an invitation to this 'camp'?" Kagome questioned, walking around the counter. "According to my dormmates, they dub it the 'Hell Camp'. Not sure what it means by that, but they are all worried about it."

"Well," Hayama spoke, putting his pen down, "if the rumors reached them, then it is normal for them to be scared. Apparently, this camp isn't easy to deal with. You should be careful. There are many that will try to sabotage others."

Continuing to nod, and the silence taking over, Kagome watched Hayama's attention go back to the jars. Jun's words echoed in her head once more, making her curious. "Hayama-kun?"

"Hm?" He responded, keeping his focus on his notes.

Her lips parted to speak only to close them again. "Well, I guess I'll see you at the camp. Good luck with, um," she chuckled not knowing exactly what Hayama was doing, "this. Oh, um, do tell Shiomi-sensei I had to go pack and get a few assignments done before the camp. See ya."

Putting his notepad down, Hayama was left staring at the door. If she were to survive the camp, then his thoughts about the girl were becoming true.

* * *

The twitches on Souma's and Kagome's eyebrows continued as they saw the hundreds of luxurious buses waiting outside the campus. They shined brightly white, and they were sure they were the only ones shocked by the display of money – with just buses! The day of the camp had arrived, and although she was not mentally prepared, she did not feel as nervous as she thought she would be.

"My stomach hurts…" Megumi gulped, seeing the first year students beginning to rally up to their assigned bus.

"Tell me about it." Souma sighed. "I'm kinda getting jaded."

"To think they had this much money…" Kagome whispered. Her eyes landed on Hayama entering one of the buses at the end. Why she had not asked about his thoughts on her was beyond her, but maybe it had just been Jun taking his words out of context.

"Alright!" Souma shouted, holding out the brochure out in the air. "Let's go! Off to the camp of friendship and team-building straight out of hell! Nothing is gonna surprise me anymore!"

Giving the red head a deadpanned look, Kagome shook her head as the other Polar Star residents walked past him. "That's the sort of thing that gets you enemies, Souma-kun."

"Huh?" He blinked. "The camp?"

"No. The yelling."

* * *

After a two hour road trip, Kagome was amazed to say the least as she came out of the bus. And she was not the only one. The gasps from Polar Star were enough to tell her they were shocked to see the Totsuki Resort in all its glory before them. Building after building surrounded them along with endless fields of farms, lakes, and the ocean. The hotel they were assigned to stay in was easily over forty floors.

"T-This is our 'camp' site?!" Yoshino exclaimed.

"Guess this school isn't full of rich bastards for nothing." Souma scoffed, gulping at the luxury before him. "They even run a big-ass hotel."

"All the hotels and inns around here are part of Totsuki." Ibusaki spoke, meeting with the rest of his dormmates.

"Heh," Souma's sweat began to cling on his forehead, "doesn't surprise me."

Adjusting his glasses, Marui smiled. "They manage a dozen or so accommodations as part of Totsuki Resort brand, and graduates often end up working in the resorts' culinary division. I've heard it costs upwards of eighty-thousand yen per night at these places."

"That's like a month's rent!" Yoshino shouted.

"Doesn't surprise me!" Souma exclaimed, eyes bulging out with shock.

"Eh~," Kagome's brow rose, noticing Souma expression, "sure looks like it." Turning her head back to the hotel, she sighed. When they had said camp, she did not imagine this kind of place. Just what did Totsuki have under their sleeve?

"Wait!" Yoshino spoke as they walked towards the entrance of the hotel. "So we can stay here tonight? Wow, this is exciting!"

"That's if we can survive today's task…" Ibusaki whispered, killing off the sparkle in her eyes.

Chuckling at Yoshino sticking out her tongue at the boy, Kagome kept making her way forward. With some of the employees asking for their bags, she was given her card key to her room, but was led to one of the ballrooms to the side. As the others followed behind her, she blinked as soon as she saw the rest of the first-years scattered around facing the stage with an awaiting podium. Her eyes narrowed noticing the many students at the corners and some sitting on the chairs leaned against the wall: nerves. The collective anxiety auras were beginning to make her stomach churn. "It's too quiet…" She whispered.

"Yeah," Sakaki replied, her own focus observing the room, "it's hard to believe nearly a thousand students are here."

Kagome crossed her arms, "so they were all given the 'Camp of Hell' rumors."

"Makes you wonder just how many will survive, huh?" Sakaki whispered.

"Oh!" Souma exclaimed, grin appearing on his lip. "It's Nikumi!"

The said butcher jolted in her spot upon hearing her dreaded nickname. Turning her head over her shoulder, cheeks reddened after getting her confirmation of the transfer student. "Y-Yukihira!?"

Having heard Souma call out Ikumi's name, Kagome and the rest of the Polar Star residents turned their heads to the idiot.

"Been a while, Nikumi!" Souma waved with an idiotic expression.

"Oi," Kagome hissed, cupping her hand to the side of her mouth, "you know she doesn't like that nickname."

"Don't you think he is a little too relaxed?" Yoshino's brow rose.

"Eh?" Souma blinked, turning to the miko. "But she's fine with it. Right, Nikumi?"

"Of course not!" She shouted back.

As the two continued to go back and forth, Kagome scratched her cheek until she heard faint whispers from other students. Eyes narrowing down, Kagome noticed some of the students looking over their shoulders and sending them their own sets of glares. _'Guess Hayama-kun was right…'_

"Ohayou, students!"

Eyes glided back to the stage; Kagome and Souma turned to the sight of Chef Chapelle.

"I will not give a summary of the camp." He spoke, walking to the podium with the microphone in hand. "You're scheduled to stay here for five nights and six days. You will all be split off into several groups and take on daily cooking tasks. Students whose instructors' evaluations fall below a certain baseline will be failed, sent back to the academy, then expelled. As for how your tasks will be evaluated, we have invited guest lecturers."

"Guests?" Souma whispered. Who they inviting to this place?

"They're Totsuki alumni who have graciously agreed to join us despite their busy schedule." Extending his arm to the side, he presented the alumni as they walked out from behind the curtain.

Interest piqued, Kagome attention was driven to the chefs walking to stand beside the podium. _'Alumni?'_ If there were indeed the alumni to Totsuki's academy, then that meant one thing: the survivors. Her eyes followed each of them as they made their way onto the stage. Aside from the pink haired chef, and a foreign looking blonde male, everyone looked fairly normal, but their confident smiles said something else.

"Hmm, you over there."

Students blinked at the same time as they saw the male alumni with pink hair extend his arm out in front of him and point to the row where Kagome and Souma stood.

"Nine rows back, the boy with a scar on his eyebrow."

Both Souma and Kagome were taken back by his call. Looking at the red head from the corner of her eyes, Kagome whispered. "What did you do now?"

"Nothing!" He whispered back.

"Oh, sorry," the chef shook his head, "I mean the one next to you."

Eyes landed on the brunette male standing beside the young Yukihira. Watching the other male student point at himself, the chef alumni nodded with a smirk.

"You're expelled. You can go home now."

Expressions melted into shock; Kagome's head quickly turned to the stage, seeing the confidence in his aura rise. Expelled? Just like that?

Taking the steps down to the main assembly floor, the alumni made his way towards the brunette. "Your hair product has a citrus scent. It interferes with aroma of food. We do need to pay attention to our sense of style. If the chefs have no sense of style, the dishes lose their appeal. But you should choose an unscented hair product from now on."

"That's Chef Shinomiya," Marui whispered with a gulp, " _The_ Chef Shinomiya!"

Having seen him up close, Kagome was unsure wat kind of person he was. Silent, Kagome wanted nothing more than to bark back at his decision to ruin a student's life, but she knew it was best to keep her mouth shut. Watching him walk away, she and everyone else blinked the moment the now-expelled student take a step forward.

"I'm getting expelled just for that?!" He shouted.

Stopping in his steps, Shinomiya looked at the student over his shoulder with a hardened glare. " _Just_ that can be enough to lose your customers. Are you trying to destroy my restaurant?" Chuckling at the student's lips sealing, Shinomiya waved him a goodbye. "Farewell, student."

For what seemed to be forever, Kagome sighed softly as Shinomiya returned to the stage. To think his presence had such a strong suffocating weight. _'Perhaps it was smart to keep my mouth shut.'_ Huffing, Kagome made her way closer to her childhood friend. "You got saved out of that one."

"Who is he again?" Souma whispered.

"He's the first Japanese national to win the French Pluspol award!" Marui answered. "Not to mention…," his eyes landed on the red eyed and grey-haired female standing on the stage, "there is also Chef Mizuhara from restaurant 'F'!" Marui's attention was directed to the older male on the stage with black hair. "And that's Head Chef Sekimori from the sushi restaurant: Ginza Hinowa!"

"Wow…," the miko blinked, "didn't realize they were that big in the world." To think she was attending the same school as them.

"They're all people featured in magazines every month!" Megumi exclaimed, awed by the sight of the alumni.

"Girl who's innocent like a white clover!"

The Polar Star residents turned their heads to the side upon hearing the accented voice. All of them jolted in place as they saw the blonde chef having grabbed Megumi's hand while greeting her with a smile.

"T-That's Donato Gotoda of the auberge, Tesoro!" Yoshino exclaimed.

Getting closer to the shocked Megumi, Gotoda continued to speak. "You may be the reason for my existence. Why don't we talk through the night till dawn at my auberge?"

"Eh?" Megumi blinked, his words finally sinking in. "Um, I-um-ah…"

"Let go of her hand, Chef Gotoda."

Turning to the female voice coming towards him, Gotoda's eyes narrowed into a mild-glare upon meeting Hinako's own dark shadow looming over him after having crouched down to meet Megumi's level. "Hinako."

"A-Ah!" Marui gasped. "Inui Hinako of the Japanese restaurant, Kirinoya!"

"How is it that you know all of them?" Kagome whispered with a raised brow. Watching Hinako push Gotoda away and grab Megumi's hands into her own, she leaned towards Souma while cupping her hand beside her lips. "Don't you think this is passing the boundary of teacher and student?"

"We should already be getting used to weirdos, remember?" Souma laughed lightly.

"I'm sorry that you had such a frightening experience." Hinako spoke with a close-eyed smile. "You're very cute, by they way." Placing her hand over Megumi's cheek, her own cheeks blossomed pink. "I'm sure you'd be very good to eat…"

Souma nodded, leaning back to the miko. "Nope, you're right; the boundaries are being crossed."

"Hinako," Gotoda called from behind, "Chapelle-sensei is glaring at us. Let's go."

The Polar Star residents all released a sigh at the same time as they watched both Hinako and Gotoda walking away with their awaiting senior. Scratching the back of her head, Kagome was beginning to think she was placed in a weird setting, and that was saying a lot considering where she had spent her time the last year. Noticing another person entering from the other side of the stage, Kagome blinked as the tall and muscular male with short brown hair was handed the microphone. "Ano, Marui-kun?" She whispered. "Who is that?"

"Huh?" Adjusting his glasses to get a clear view of the man she was referring to; Marui's mouth fell open at the sight of the muscular male. "Oh! That's the man who was the first in his graduating class after scoring the highest score in Totsuki's history in the graduation exam! He turned down eight hundred or so offers from high-caliber restaurants around the world to take his current position as the Head Chef and Company Director of Totsuki Resort: Dojima Gin! This is incredible!" He sniffed, grateful to be in their presence. "All the star chefs leading Japan's culinary world are lined up in front of me!"

"Welcome to my Totsuki Resort." Dojima greeted, coming up to the front. "Each of the alumni who have gathered here today are chefs who own their own restaurants. For the next six days of the training camp, we will treat you as we would our own staff. Do you understand what that entails? Those of you who cannot perform to our expectations…," moving his thumb across his neck, he smirked, "will be fired! That means expulsion."

Kagome gulped, unsure if it was fear or excitement she was feeling at this point. If anything, it almost felt like teachers purposely were trying to weed out the weak. But after witnessing her first Shokugeki, she could sense the lust for the number one spot in all of them.

"As you may have already seen," Dojima continued, "you may be dismissed at the drop of a hat depending on these lecturers. I wish you all the best of luck. Now proceed to your groups."

Looking down at their individual brochures with their schedules, all students began to walk away to their assigned groups. Seeing his dormmates go the opposite way, Souma turned around. "Oh! Don't forget we're having a card game in Marui's room!"

"You don't all have to come to my room during camp!" Marui exclaimed.

Watching the students and alumni walk out to their respective groups and classes, Dojima smiled. Every year the same atmosphere was felt from the students: fear. But after taking a good look at the first-years he sensed a different kind of fear from them, almost...competitive. The light sound of shoes against wood caught his attention making him sigh. "You're late."

"Wari, wari. I got busy in a meeting with our dear CEO. You know how he is."

Looking at the black-haired male wearing a tan suit from the corner of his eyes, Dojima smirked back noticing the toothy grin of their guest. "Well, I can't understand that." Making his way past the slender yet muscular male, Dojima patted his shoulder. "Make sure you pay _him_ a visit; _he_ has been waiting on that wine, you know."

"Hai. Hai." A chuckle was heard. Eyes scanned the empty ballroom; a familiar scent wafted around the area.

"Something wrong?" Dojima asked, looking over his shoulder to see the other male staring at the room.

"Nope." He smiled before turning to follow him out of the stage.

* * *

' _Seriously?'_ The miko sighed, walking towards the doors leading to their assigned kitchen. Not only had they been driven to the country side of the resort, but she had been stuck with Souma once again. This meant trouble. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes to rub her temple. _'Hopefully this headache doesn't set in.'_ Before she could open her eyes, her body collided with another. Her sight snapped open as she took a few steps back to regain her balance. "A-Ah, sumimazen."

"Hm?"

Kagome blinked meeting another pair of blue eyes. Realizing she had stayed silent for too long, Kagome took in his full appearance: blonde hair, male, and wearing a different white chef uniform with orange accents. At the sleeve, she could see the sewn letters put together: _'Aldini?'_

"Hmm," he spoke, "up close, you aren't that intimidating."

His comment immediately fished her out of her observations; her brows furrowed to meet her mild-glare. "Was that an insult?" She asked.

Given no reply, she watched him enter the kitchen. The nerve of him! And here she was ready to apologize again for bumping into him! Letting out a heavy breath, she felt a hand land on her shoulder.

"Already tense?"

"Shut it, Souma-kun."

The red head blinked along with Megumi at his side seeing the miko stomp into their assigned class. "Is she alright?" Megumi whispered, walking into the kitchen.

"I hope so." He sighed, crossing his arms. "If not, I am going to have to deal with a fuming Kagome."

"Ah," the sound of hands clapping together caught the students' attention, "it seems you're all here." Walking into the front of the class, Hinako greeted everyone with a smile waiting for students to choose a station. "Well, before we all get comfortable, in my class, you'll be working in pairs. Hmm, it seems like I got the same class as Chapelle-sensei. Please go ahead and pair up with the same people, I don't mind."

"Thank goodness!" Megumi exclaimed, turning to Souma and Kagome. "I'll be with you two!"

"Yeah!" Souma nodded. "Let's give this a whirl!"

"Yeah, a good one." Kagome grumbled under her breath as she saw the blonde male on the other side of the room coming to them.

Souma and Megumi blinked at the somewhat visible flames erupting from the miko's eyes. What tea did she drink this morning?

"Yukihira Souma, is it?"

"Yeah?" Souma turned around to see a blonde male giving him a smile. "What is it-?" Souma's eyes widened as soon as he felt a foot stomp over his before feeling the shoe digging into his own. Smirking back with a glare of his own, Souma tilted his chin a little more. "Since you've been grinding your foot into mine for over ten seconds, I guess I can assume it's intentional?"

"Of course." He replied. "I was wondering when I'd get to mess with you during camp, but I didn't think I'd be lucky enough to get close to you in our first task. I'll crush you, just like I did your shoe!"

"Huh?" Souma's glare hardened.

Sensing the tension, Megumi's hand frantically sought for Kagome's attention. "K-Kagome-chan? S-Stop them?"

"Huh?" Her brow rose noticing the blonde's foot stepping over Souma's. Her eyes glided to the brunette with closed eyes standing behind him wearing the same culinary uniform. Walking to the two, she knew it was best to separate the two before their little argument escalated. Judging by the flaring auras, she did need to stop it. She immediately placed her foot on top of the blonde's making both boys wince from the added weight and grinding. She will stop them after getting her small revenge. "Let me join in." She smiled _innocently._ "Don't think you can get away so easily after insulting me."

"K-Kagome-chan?" Megumi gulped, wondering where this fire of hers was coming from.

"Y-You…" the blonde growled under his breath.

"I see both of you are having a quarrel of your own. Congratulations, but," Souma nodded with a smile, "can both of you remove your feet already!"

"Everyone!" Hinako spoke out, ending all talks between students (and ending the stepping on each other's shoes). Opening a bag of kaki-no-tane (senbei and peanuts), Inumi sat on a bench at the front of the room with a tray of green tea at her side. "I'll be sitting right here, so feel free to ask me any questions you might have."

Confused over the current situation, one of the students came forth. "Ano, sumimazen, Chef Inui, but we haven't received any instructions yet."

"Oh?" She blinked. "Is that right? Let me see…my task for you is," facing the empty table near the windows, she gave them a smile, "use the ingredients here to make a dish that could serve as a main dish in Japanese cuisine."

' _Ingredients?'_ Kagome blinked, noticing nothing but empty tables.

"There's nothing there." One student stated.

Chuckling under her breath, Hinako stood from the bench and extended her arm to the side to show them the windows. "Of course there is! We're in glorious nature, right next to a clear stream! There are ingredients galore!" Hearing the shock from her students, she nodded. "There are spices, condiments, and oil, not to mention cooking utensils. You are welcome to use other tools, such as fishing poles. We are on private property, which is encircled by a fence. If you cross that fence, you will be disqualified. Secure your ingredients from this limited space and prepare them. You will pass if you create a dish that I find satisfactory. You have two hours. You may now begin." Clapping her hands once, students took a step back not having heard the start of their trial due to her low voice.

Looking out the window from her spot, Kagome noticed the field. Almost the same to the fields of the feudal era. Nodding to herself, she turned to Megumi. "Let's go then."

"It's face-off time, Yukihira! Higurashi!"

"Huh?" Souma blinked, along with Kagome and Megumi as they turned their head over their shoulders. "A face-off?"

"Let's decide who is the better chef." Walking over to their instructor, the Aldini chef tilted his head up with pride. "Chef Inui, I would like you to make the call. Please exercise your rigorous judgment and decide whose cooking has the better taste!"

Blinking at the sudden statement, Hinako lowered the snack in her fingers from her lips. "Um, what?" She blinked again. "That has nothing to do with my task, so I would prefer not to."

Frozen at her rejection, the Aldini chef took a few steps back. "Oh, well, I suppose…"

Souma and Kagome placed their hands over their mouths to block the second-hand embarrassment. Clearing his throat, Souma took a step forward. "Hey, what are you gonna do? Because you got on your high horse, you're making everyone uncomfortable."

"No kidding." Kagome's shoulder shook as she tried to hold back her own smug expression. "That's what he gets for looking down on people."

Hearing the other brunette male snicker, he spoke. "That's really lame, bro!"

"Shut up!" He shouted back. "Don't laugh, too!"

Shock struck Kagome, Souma, and Megumi hearing their relation. "B-Brother?" Kagome stuttered looking at the two back and forth. "They're brothers!?"

"They look nothing alike!" Souma whispered back.

The blonde Aldini chef shook his head as he turned back to face the other three. "I-In any case, I cannot lose to you two! I will make a dish that tops yours! Got it, Yukihira!? Higurashi!?"

Watching his 'brother' drag him out of the kitchen from the back of his collar, Kagome and the others could only blink with confusion. To think she was dragged once again into one of Souma's issues because of his stupid mouth. She should have skipped orientation.

"What's with him?" Souma scoffed, pushing his hands into his pockets. "He didn't even introduce himself."

"Neither did you." Kagome replied.

"He already knew my name!" Showing her his shoe, he gave the miko a glare. "He said it when he stepped on me, remember?! Oh right, you do! You stepped on both of us!"

"Ano," Megumi made her way forward, "we should start, too…"

Hinako smiled as she watched the last group exit the kitchen. Crunching into her snack, her eyes narrowed. _'Everyone develops tunnel vision when placed in an unfamiliar situation. Their thinking slows to a crawl, and they misjudge their options. This task is merely a small warm-up exercise. Any chef who is daunted by something like this isn't needed at Totsuki.'_

* * *

"Ah!" Yelling from the splash of water on him, Souma glared at his lost catch. His eyes followed the escape of his fish as it swam downstream. Huffing, Souma looked at the end of his bait: gone. "You know, I thought fishing would be easier than catching a chicken or something."

Putting down a basket of mushrooms and wasabi roots she found nearby, Megumi noticed the rest of the class also fishing for fish. It was to be expected when given the Japanese-cuisine. The question was if they were able to get all the necessary ingredients in time and still have enough time to cook.

The sound of another splash caught their attention; heads turned to the right to see Kagome easily fishing out her bait with a wide smile. "Yosh!" Kagome nodded, bringing the fish closer to her.

Souma blinked noticing she had climbed over a boulder in the middle of the stream. When did she cross the water? Watching her walk back to them, Souma noticed her shoes and socks at the edge of the stream. "Kagome," he called out, "don't tell me the years you were gone, you were out in the wilderness?" Fist coming on top of his other palm, Souma's eyes widened. "That's why you are more brutal-oomf!"

Throwing the caught fish to his face, Kagome walked over to her shoes. "You can say that." The art of catching her own food was nothing foreign. She had to do it when she had no knowledge of what to catch. Then again, she did get help from Inuyasha to catch the bigger stuff. But that did not mean she did not learn the basics. Tapping the front tip of her shoe against the floor, Kagome rolled down her pants back to her ankles. She only hoped it was enough to pass this trial.

"So what should be the menu?" Kagome asked, turning to see Souma pouting at the last three fish in the bucket were all caught by her. "We would need to think this quick."

"S-She's right, Souma-kun!" Megumi added. "We have rainbow trout, so maybe we can grill it with salt? Or maybe braise it? We also must think of the accompaniments! That means trying to find more mountain vegetables or something!"

Humming in thought, Souma grabbed his fishing pole from the ground before taking a quick scan of the people fishing in the same stream. "But everyone else would be thinking the same way, you know? We should go for a bit of a twist."

"We don't have time for that!" Megumi sighed. "It's timed, remember?" Turning to the miko grabbing the basket of mushrooms and roots, she placed her hands on Kagome's shoulder. "K-Kagome-chan, tell him that we can't be thinking anything fancy."

"Well," Kagome exhaled as she walked back to the kitchen, "I get what he means. He was just challenged by _that_ guy, but Megumi-chan is right, Souma-kun." Turning her head over her shoulder, she saw Souma in deep thought. "Are you listening?" Ignoring her, huh? Huffing, Kagome turned her head back to the front only to see the Aldini brothers walking to the front of the building. _'Looks like they also made their catch…'_

Souma noticed the blonde chef at the front, making him walk around the miko and extend his hand out with his palm facing upwards. "Please exercise your rigorous judgment!"

"Shut up!" He shouted back with a blush. "Let that go!" Composing himself, the Aldini chef eyed the three fish in their bucket before scoffing at their poor attempt to catch anything interesting. "You guys are using fish, too?"

"Huh?" The three blinked before watching him walk inside the building. Following him all the way inside, they notice some of the groups already beginning the process of preparing their choice of protein.

Scoffing at the sight of all groups having fish on their tables, the blonde Aldini walked towards his station. "Man, everyone is going for fish because of the Japanese cuisine theme. Isn't that narrow-minded?"

With glares on him, Kagome turned around to give him a few words. "Get off your high horse." She spoke. "If it's so narrow-minded, what did you guys choose?"

Turning to face her, the Aldini brothers showed her the dressed meat: duck. She and everyone around her could not hide the surprise on their faces to see the chosen protein. "Duck…" She whispered.

"We didn't just find duck!" He chuckled. "There were chickens and rabbits, too! We wondered why no one else was looking around!" Walking back to his station, he placed his hand over Souma's shoulder. "Step away, Yukihira."

Noticing Souma's sudden silence and his step back, Kagome raised a brow as she came to stare at his shoulders. She would be lying to herself if she had not thought of herself as confident over catching fish and foraging for other ingredients, but she never thought chickens and rabbits were around the area in the first place. Not to mention, just as he said, the theme had taken all aspects of her creativity.

"Isami!" The blonde chef called out.

Giving his brother a nod, the brunette chef grabbed a chef's knife before quickly separating the different parts of meat. Looking from the side, Megumi gulped noticing his precision and rhythm. _'He's separating the breast and thigh meat without breaking a sweat. He's not even damaging the innards! What agile knife work…'_

"Yes?" Isami spoke, looking at Megumi from over his shoulder. "Did you have a question?"

"O-Oh, no! I was just admiring your skills!"

"Really?" He replied, placing the duck breast on one pan and the rest on another. "But my brother can finish this three times faster than me." Sliding the pan with the duck breast to his brother, eyes landed his knife work slashing a few marks over the meat.

Crossing her arms, Kagome noticed their rhythm synchronizing with each other. Neither of the two were slow or too fast. _'There's no break in the work flow between any steps…'_ She followed their movements as they grilled the meat, prepared the sauces, and seasoned the rest of their ingredients. Their moves were efficient and smooth, almost as if they had been working in a professional kitchen. _'Who is he?'_

"Well," Souma sighed, leaning back against the station, "I had no doubt that he would be at least this good."

"Huh?" Kagome blinked, turning her head over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"He had hands that looked like they knew an actual kitchen."

Placing her focus back on the Aldini brothers, she noticed them placing the duck breasts inside the oven.

" _Forno accendere_." With a smile gracing his lips, the Aldini brothers turned around to face the trio. "Forgive my belated introduction. My name is Takumi Aldini. This is my younger twin."

"Isami Aldini." The brunette introduced himself.

"We were working in our family's trattoria in Italy." Takumi continued.

Tilting her head to the side, Kagome tapped her chin. "Trattoria?" She repeated.

"In Italian, it means a restaurant for the masses." Takumi replied with pride.

Both Souma's and Kagome's eyes widened realizing their observations and thoughts on his cooking style was correct.

"I'm the same as you, Yukihira." Takumi turned to him, looking at the logo on his own shirt. Showing him his sleeve with the words 'Aldini', he chuckled. "I'm also a chef who has been protecting his restaurant on the front lines. I remember what you said at the opening ceremony. You identified yourself as a professional. As a fellow professional, I cannot lose to you. Let's show the world who is the better chef: Aldini or Yukihira!"

"That's fine and all," Kagome cut in, "but don't lump me with this baka. He was the one to call out the challenge to all of you. I was dragged into it."

Snickering under his breath, Souma quickly untied the white sash around his wrist before tying it around his forehead. "Great! Come at us!"

"You!" Kagome repeated. "You! My surname isn't 'Yukihira'!"

"Very well." Takumi smirked back.

Noticing she was once again being ignored, Kagome gave a defeated sigh as Megumi shook with fear at the sudden declaration of rivalry. Noticing Takumi take out a crescent shaped blade, her brow rose up at the foreign tool.

Interested in the small feud, Hinako's lips curved upwards. She was amazed to see someone as young as the Aldini brothers to be using a high-end culinary tool. _'A mezzaluna. A double-handed knife used in Italy that means "half-moon". Very interesting.'_

"Let's go!" Takumi shouted. Grabbing both handles of the knife, he quickly chopped some herbs into a paste.

"The duck is almost done!" Isami informed.

Takumi nodded back, "we will finish the salsa at the same time!" Handing the mezzaluna to his brother, he smirked at Isami's quick knife work as the cooked liver and heart of the duck were minced.

Kagome waited quietly and watched them finish the dish. With the last presentation details being placed on the plate, Kagome was taken back by the beautiful dish. Without saying a word, the class waited at the back to observe Hinako's judging on their food.

"Oh?" Hinako smiled, lowering her cup of tea from her lips. "You're the first ones up."

"Nimbleness is one of Italian cuisine's charms, after all!" Takumi smirked. Placing his dish to the side of Hinako's seat, he smiled at the presentation of his sliced-up duck with green salsa drilled over it. "Grilled duck with herbs and a green sauce. _Buon appetito!"_

Grabbing the chopsticks on the plate, Hinako gracefully picked up a piece of the meat before giving Takumi and Isami a smile. "Itadakimasu." Taking a bite, Hinako hummed contently at the warm and savory sauce melting on her tongue. _'The fragrant, wild flavor of the duck is heightened by the astringent sauce!'_ It was as if she was drowning in a vast ocean of clear water only to be saved by the very flavor of the duck's sweetness and tanginess. _'The masculinity and class of this dish is like a heavy bass resounding deep in the recesses of my stomach. It is as if…the duck is singing an aria! I wouldn't mind being embraced by a duck like this!'_

"Oi!" One of the students called out. "That green sauce! Isn't it _salsa verde?!_ Isn't that a staple in Italian cuisine, made from chopped anchovies and flat-leaf parsley?"

"What are they thinking!?" Another shouted. "The theme is Japanese cuisine! That is a failing grade already!"

"No."

The room fell silent at Hinako's voice returning to reality.

"This sauce is not using anchovies, but _uruka,_ salted sweet-fish offal _. Uruka_ is traditionally made over the course of a week or more, but this one is instant, isn't it?"

"Hai." Takumi nodded. "We boiled the rinsed sweet-fish guts in sake, then seasoned it with mirin, soy sauce, and salt. It allowed us to make an instant-yet-rich _uruka,_ with just the right amount of bitterness."

"Is that possible?" Megumi whispered.

"Well, that wasn't their only improvisation." Hinako added. "Instead of parsley, they chopped in perilla and chives to produce the vibrant green color and astringent flavor. They also subbed in yuzu pepper paste instead of garlic, which is rarely used in Japanese cuisine, in order to bring the dish closer to Japanese cuisine."

"That's right!" Takumi smirked. "This is Japanese-style _salsa verde,_ using instant _uruka_ as the base!"

Taking all the information in made the miko's head spin. To think he was able to switch an Italian dish to Japanese was pretty impressive. But this was probably just a taste of what the Totsuki students and alumni could do.

"You've introduced core elements of Japanese cuisine into both the duck and the _salsa verde_ , and pulled it all together into an exquisite Japanese dish." Hinako added in, looking at the Aldini brothers. "Takumi Aldini and Isami Aldini, you have passed my test."

"Sugoi…" Megumi whispered. "He used his wits to create an exceptional dish despite the limitations imposed upon us."

"Yeah…" Kagome nodded as her eyes glided to look at Souma beside her. _'They are very alike.'_ The way they could easily improvise without letting the stress get to them.

"Well," Takumi turned to face the young Yukihira, "Yukihira Souma? You don't seem to have made much headway. What are you going to prepare for us?"

"I see!" Clapping her hands again, Hinako stood from her seat. "You two were saying that you're competing with each other. Very well! If I can expect a dish that will be on par with what I just tasted, I will make an exception and judge which of your dishes is better."

Excited over the change in her decision, Takumi's lips widened into a grin as he took a step forward. "Did you hear that, Yukihira?!"

"Sure!" Souma shouted back. "Let's do this!"

"Good." Hinako nodded, closing her eyes to match her smile. "If you lose, you will kneel."

The five of them froze hearing the consequence she laid out. Was she being…serious? Kneel? Like actually kneel?!

Snickering behind her hand, Hinako shrugged. "Kneel before the victor and say 'I am a loser' three times. If you are going to stake the reputation of your restaurants on this match, the consequences need to be appropriate." Coming to the girls behind Souma, Hinako grabbed each of their hands in her own. "Oh, but both of you don't have to kneel, Tadokoro Megumi-san. Higurashi Kagome-san. Both of you have such beautiful hands."

Megumi gulped, taken back by the look in Hinako's eyes. "S-She's kind of scary…" She whispered, leaning closer to the miko.

"More like she is being a sadist of some sort." Kagome blinked blankly.

Clearing his throat, Takumi shook his head before pointing his finger at his rivaled group. "Anyway, I dare you to make a dish that can surpass ours!"

Despite the laughs and shocks they received, the trial had to be taken seriously. This was not only about taking on the Aldinis, but they had to remember they had to survive the camp. Coming to stand beside the red head, Kagome and Megumi grouped together. "So?" Kagome asked, looking at Souma. "Should we still go for fish?"

"Just like us," Souma sighed, "these two had no assumptions coming in. They selected duck. Didn't even think of that one."

"Not to mention they managed to assemble a list of ingredients to enhance the duck!" Megumi added.

Looking out the window, Kagome remembered Hinako's words. They were able to use any ingredients found within the allowed perimeter. Fish was probably the best thing to use, but grilling would be too simple and repetitive if the others were thinking like them. "Takumi-kun did say there were chickens and rabbits…" She whispered. "But those require a lot of patience, but they would give a different texture compared to fish."

' _Texture!'_ Souma's eyes snapped open. Grabbing the miko by her shoulders, he smirked. "You are useful!"

"Excuse me?" Her brow twitched.

Souma began to write a few things on a piece of paper before turning around to hand it to Kagome and Megumi. "I hope both of you have confidence in finding things outdoors. I want to use these ingredients as the accompaniment. Think you can find them?"

Taking the paper from his hand, Kagome read the list – with Megumi looking over her shoulder – before raising her brow. "If I could catch a fish better than you, then yes." Looking at Megumi, she asked her. "Want to come with me?"

Megumi nodded, taking the list herself. "Um, yeah! I think I'll be of help! I used to go looking for mountain vegetables a lot back home!"

"May I ask what you're going to do?" The miko questioned, watching Souma ready to exit the kitchen.

Sending her a wink, Souma saluted her. "I have to track something down, too. Oh, but before that…" looking around the room, his eyes landed on the bag of snacks Hinako had in her hands. "Inui-senpai. You said we can use anything we can find here, right?"

"Eh?" She blinked. "Uh, hai. Anything, if it's within the fence's boundaries."

"Then," he smirked, "the key ingredient for our dish will be…this!"

Everyone's eyes widened as they watched Hinako reach back for her taken kaki-no-tane snacks from Souma's hands. "My tea snack!" She cried.

"Kaki-no-tane?" Kagome tilted her head to the side. Watching him walk past her, and then handing the snack bag over to Takumi, Souma gave his goodbye. _'Did he just leave Takumi-kun to look over his ingredient?'_ Called over by Megumi, she nodded knowing there was nothing to question until they returned with the requested ingredients.

* * *

" _Aralia elate,_ huh?" Kagome spoke to herself. Grabbing a few steps from the branches hanging down over her head, she handed them over to Megumi to be placed in the basket.

Megumi nodded, crossing the last item on the list. "Yosh! That should be everything!" Watching the miko grab a few more to be safe, Megumi's eyes landed to all the herbs and vegetables they were asked to find. All found. She had trouble finding the _osmunda japonica,_ but Kagome had immediately found it. Looking at Kagome once again, she saw her clapping her hands clean of dirt. No person had to have this much knowledge on foraging at this age, unless they had been shown by someone who was an expert at it.

"Let's head back." Kagome smiled. "I just hope Souma-kun isn't wasting time out there."

* * *

Coming into the kitchen, Kagome watched as more students began to fail the trial as Hinako sighed with boredom after tasting the same texture and flavor in each dish. Her eyes scanned the ground, only to feel her brow twitch as she saw some of the students defeated with rejection.

"There have been too many grilled fish." Hinako sighed before taking a sip of her tea. "Everything has the same texture. I'm in the mood for something with more bite. Oh! You are all still welcomed to keep making new dishes before time is up!"

Easy for her to say. Kagome sighed, slowly walking towards her station until she noticed Takumi giving her a glare. Setting the basket down on the counter, she raised a brow. "What?"

"Where is Yukihira?" He crossed his arms. "He'll run out of time."

Eyes lowering to his hand, she saw the bag of unopened kaki-no-tane still safe. To think he listened to Souma and took care of it. If it were another person trying to sabotage them, he could have easily thrown them away. "And?" She shrugged. "Wouldn't you want him to run out of time? You would win by default."

"I want a heated battle!" He exclaimed, leaning closer. "I won't accept winning by default!" Lifting the bag of snacks, his narrowed in thought. What was he even making?

Hearing a set of footsteps coming their way, the four of them blinked at the sight of Souma with white feathers sticking out of his hair. Kagome raised a brow as she walked over to the heaving red head. "Don't tell me you wrestled with a chicken." She plucked out a feather from his hair until she was shown the two eggs in his hands. "Eggs?" Her eyes widened as she put two and two together: batter and breading!

"You're late!" Takumi shouted. "You only have fifteen minutes left! Are you trying to get disqualified without even facing me!?" Making a fist, a crunch from the bag made him gasp as the others simply blinked back.

"Bro," Isami whispered, "you crushed it."

"Ah! Gomen! I-It's not what it looks like, Yukihira!"

"Yeah," Souma nodded, taking the bag of snacks back, "don't worry about it. You saved me some time there. Thanks. Anyways," turning his focus back on his group, he placed his chosen ingredients on the counter, "we have a whole fifteen minutes. If I let customers wait fifteen minutes at my diner, they'd all leave. Let's do this, Kagome! Tadokoro! Time to make our deep-fried dish."

Looking at all the ingredients on the counter, Kagome nodded. She could tell what he had in mind, but could they pull it off? Deciding it was best to act rather than think, she let instinct take over. Handing Megumi the roots and herbs they caught, she told her to wash them while she prepared the other roots.

Souma's eyes rose for a second to watch Kagome's concentration glued on the task in hand. Seeing Megumi copy the miko's movements, it made him wonder where Kagome learned to prepare herbs. It was an easy task to do, if just pulling the leaves and putting them in a pot, but to learn to prepare their actual taste and cut the right areas for more flavor. He did not recall his father teaching them about herbs while she visited the restaurant. A smile came on to his lips; his eyes dropped to the fish on the cutting board. Kagome was a fast learner, that he had known about her, but he only wondered how far she could take that skill in the academy.

"Alright," Kagome nodded, "Megumi-chan, time to separate the egg whites from the yolk." Having told Megumi about the plan, she was not surprised to see Megumi's dumbfounded look. It was a fantasy to think of making a deep-fried dish when they were not given the right ingredients, but they considered the luck of the kaki-no-tane Souma had taken. Letting Megumi take over her task, she noticed Souma almost done prepping the fish. Opening the kaki-no-tane bag, Kagome dropped it all in the middle of the plastic wrap before tying it into small bag.

"Here." Souma spoke.

Turning to him, she blinked at the sight of the rolling pin. She chuckled, taking it in her own hand before slamming it down on the kaki-no-tane.

Souma's sweat dropped loomed over his head as he saw her strength. "W-What are you thinking about to be slamming it so hard?"

"You." She replied, giving it one last crack on the crushed salty breading.

His spine shivered at the thought of his body being underneath. She definitely had to be learning something in the wilderness to be having that much strength. Souma blinked at the sight of the breeding now on a pan and the egg whites being placed next to it by Megumi. "Yosh," he smiled, "let's finish this." While Kagome and Megumi finished off the rest of the vegetables and sauce, Souma began to fry the fish not covered in kaki-no-tane.

Takumi's eyes widened as he saw the finishing touches to the plate. He actually made a deep-fried dish? With the last bit of vegetables placed next to the long cuts of fish, he was amazed by the presentation.

With the dish now on Souma's hands, the trio walked over to Hinako's bench and handed her the tray. "Here you go, Inui-senpai." Souma smirked. "Please have some before it gets cold."

Hinako's eyes were drawn by the colorful presentation. To see the texture without taking a bite made her excited to try something new. "All right," she nodded, "I'll have a taste. Itadakimasu." Picking up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, the crunch was heard immediately. "Oh, my. My kaki-no-tane have become such a lovely deep-fried dish!" Blowing a bit at the edge after dipping it in the yellow sauce, Hinako took a careful bite. The crunch immediately caught the other students' attention; Hinako's cheeks bloomed pink at the wonderful texture. "So crunchy!" She exclaimed. "Yet inside, the fish is so tender! Protected by the breeding, the fish's umami has been concentrated within! And thanks to the flavor of the kaki-no-tane themselves, the breeding has its own assertive flavor. The accompanying sauce is light as air, made from tamago-no-moto and kinome!"

"That's made by adding vegetable oil to egg yolks and beating them…" Takumi whispered.

"By mixing chopped kinome, the shoots of the Japanese pepper tree, into the tamago-no-moto with salt, they created a refreshing flavor that cuts the oiliness of the fried fish and makes the dish more refined." Hinako hummed contently as she took another bite. "The accompaniment made from fried mountain vegetables is excellent, as well. The visual contrast with the char is superb." She chuckled under her breath as her eyes observed the trio giving Takumi a glare (well mostly Kagome and Souma). _'I've assigned this task many times in the past, but none of the students have ever accomplished a deep-fried dish with breeding.'_ Overall, the dish was superb, and the crunchiness and tenderness made her want more.

"So," Kagome whispered, waiting on Hinako's answer, "where did you come up with this idea?"

"My idea?" Souma's brow rose with a smile. "It was you who gave me the idea."

She blinked back; she was hit back with confusion. "Me? When did I do that?"

"Well," he chuckled, knowing she would not remember the exact moment, "you know how there is a dish called okaki-age in Japanese cuisine? It's a deep-fried dish made using crushed okaki crackers as the breading. Its purpose is to improve the texture or to introduce a surprising flavor. I've made that at home before."

"So that inspired you adapt the recipe for kaki-no-tane?" Takumi questioned.

"That's right! I'm calling it the Yukihira-style Char Okaki-A-!" Souma's eyes widened as an idea struck him. "Yukihira-style Char O-Kaki-Age!" Head slapped forward from the force of Kagome's hand, Souma remained stiff.

"You just came up with that!"

Opening her eyes after giving it some deep thought, Hinako smiled as Souma, Kagome, and Takumi were pulled into a quarrel while the others looked from afar. _'Aldini-kun kept an open mind and did not overlook duck as a possible ingredient. On the other hand, it seems Yukihira-kun and the others drew on their rare creativity to make a dish no one here could have expected. Despite the constraints of time and circumstance, they both rose to the occasion and tried to make a dish that they could call their own! That is the mindset of a true professional!'_ Setting her chopsticks down, and placing the tray to the side, Hinako spoke. "Yukihira Souma, Higurashi Kagome, and Tadokoro Megumi, you have passed my test."

Given the passing grade, the three gave each other a high-five in celebration. Both Kagome and Souma turned around to face the Aldini brothers with a victorious smile.

"Well then," Hinako clapped her hands together, "time is up! The assignment is now complete."

Kagome looked over her shoulder to see how many had passed. Only a few had passed her expectations, while others had no choice but to leave the academy completely. To think this academy was this harsh to their students. She only hoped she could survive long enough to see graduation. After all, this was the only thing she had going for her.

"Chef Inui."

Turning to the call of her name, Hinako blinked to see Takumi coming forth with Souma standing beside him.

"Please make your decision." Takumi spoke.

"Ah, right." Hinako placed her finger over her chin in thought. She had agreed to make the final decision on the overall winner. "Very well. The victor is…," everyone waited with the silence pushing them over the edge, "the one who crafted a splendid texture for the char, using an idea no one else had…," Takumi's heart stopped as he heard her words, "no, wait." Turning around, her brows furrowed as she tried to recall both dishes. "Wait a moment, please. All right," she nodded to herself, "I've made my decision!" Her body turned back to face the two boys as she held her finger up. "The one who did not overlook duck as a possibility, despite being put in an unfamiliar situation, and surpassed others with his choice of ingredients," Takumi's eyes lit up with hope, "well," she turned away again, "but wait…"

Watching Souma and Takumi collapse from her indecisiveness, and hearing Isami laugh at their skit, Kagome sighed with a sweat drop looming over her head. _'Can't she make up her mind?'_ If anything, she wanted nothing more than to take that bath and relax. A soft ringtone was heard coming from Hinako's apron pocket; students froze watching her answer the call with confusion.

"Aw," she pouted, "what is it now? I'm in the middle of an important-"

" **What the hell are you up to, Hinako!? Your group of students should have been back a long time ago!"**

Sweating at the sound of Shinomiya's orders, Hinako's hands shook with panic.

" **Just get your ass back here, baka-onna!"**

"S-Sumimazen, Shinomiya-senpai!" Hanging up, Hinako quickly waved her hands to direct the students out of the kitchen. "E-Everyone, we will be rushing back to the hotel!"

"Chotto!" Takumi interrupted.

"You haven't made your decision, Inui-senpai!" Souma added.

Jumping at their statements, Hinako froze at their waiting stares. "Oh…right!" She cleared her throat; her eyes closed in thought. "I'll…have to revisit that!" In a split second, she dashed out of the kitchen, leaving Souma, Kagome, Megumi, and the Aldini brothers staring at the smoke of her sudden run. "All right, on the bus, everyone!"

Both Souma and Takumi were left in blank shock and mouths wide open. "S-She just kept us in suspense!" Both exclaimed.

"Does it really matter?" Kagome shrugged, raising both her hands without a care in the world. "Both of you passed, right?"

"She left us hanging!" Both turned to face her with a glare.

A soft exhale puffed out of the miko's lips seeing their directed glares at each other. She understood their rivalry, but it was a camp where everyone had no time to become rivals! All in all, she did have to admit Takumi's and Isami's skills were impressive. After witnessing her first Shokugeki, she had wondered what other kind of chefs were in the academy. Knowing it was best to ignore their childish glares, Kagome pulled Megumi away to exit the room. "Let's go, Megumi-chan."

"A-Ah hai!"

The Italian chef observed the miko's back as she talked with Megumi. She was the mysterious transfer student most students had decided to ignore, especially after hearing Souma's declaration of war on orientation. But it was not her lack of speech on stage rather it was the lack of skill. A good leveled chef could sense her skill right off the bat, and he did. Takumi knew she was not at par to Souma's skills, but something was different. After all, she was this far into the year. "She isn't experienced." He voiced out, catching Souma's attention. "Yet she is still here…"

"Hm?" Souma's brow rose. Following his line of sight, Souma saw the subject of his statement. "Perhaps," he shrugged, "but that doesn't mean she can't be a chef." Giving Takumi a smirk, he crossed his arms. "After all, she learned from the Yukihira family."

Takumi gave him a stare blank, not fully understanding where this confidence on Kagome came from. Did he really think she would rise to the top with just mediocre skills? Pointing an accusing finger at the red head, his brows furrowed with annoyance. "I'm not letting this go! Listen up, Yukihira! We'll settle this someday! I will settle it with both of you!"

"Sure," he sighed, "but how?"

"Eventually," he replied, "I'll challenge you to a Shokugeki. Don't run away from it. You have to accept. And that is when I will crush you both." Walking away, he rolled his sleeves over his elbows. "You would do well to hone your skills, and hers as well, before then. Until we meet again, Yukihira Soma."

* * *

"Sit down from the back row first!" Hinako instructed as she counted each of her students in the bus. "Let's go, then!"

A sweat drop loomed over the miko's head as she saw Souma sitting in front of her with crossed arms and legs while Takumi sat beside him with a darkened blush. After sitting down with Megumi, she had expected for Souma to sit by himself with the uneven number of students, but the moment she saw Isami having been told by Hinako to sit by another student, Takumi was left to sit by Souma.

"Did something happen?" Kagome's brow rose, coming up to look over their seats.

"Well," Souma replied, "he said to prepare myself before we meet again, and," his eyes narrowed to match his smirk as he turned to face the embarrassed blonde, "I guess we met again."

"Urusai!" Takumi shouted, covering his face with his hands. "Don't talk to me!"

"What's wrong?" Souma continued. "Aren't you gonna crush me?"

"I told you, don't talk to me!"

Sitting back on her seat with a deadpanned expression, Kagome sighed. Sometimes she wondered if all chefs were childish and weird. Her eyes drifted to the window beside her; she rested her elbow over the arm rest with her chin on her palm. As the view of the field came to her, she noticed her reflection right off the window.

Kagome blinked as she kept staring back.

She had a smile.

* * *

"Megumi! Kagome! Yukihira!" Relief washed over Yoshino's eyes as she saw the three Polar Star residence come out of the bus in front of the hotel with smiles on their faces. "You made it!" She exclaimed, running up to them.

Watching Yoshino run in to pull Kagome and Megumi into a hug, Souma's smile stretched further as he noticed the miko's confusion in the affection. Ever since he reunited with her, it almost seemed like the old light in her eyes had been put out, but it was beginning to light up again. Looking at Sakaki coming over with Ibusaki – who was on the phone – he put his hands inside his pockets. "What about the others?"

"Ibusaki-kun is checking on them right now." She replied.

"Got it." Ibusaki spoke. "Well done." Ending the call, Ibusaki gave them a thumbs up. "All the Polar Star members made it through day one."

All sighing in relief, they were able to give a comfortable smile now with all trials done for the day. Looking down at the ground, Souma's brow rose seeing the paled Marui almost half way to the gate of death. "Can you really say Marui made it?"

"He was running around in the mountains the whole time, apparently." Ibusaki spoke, hearing Marui's struggle to catch his breath.

"Oh," Souma's smile widened, "Kagome here was running like a mountain lion out there, too! She can do some serious stuff out in the wild-!"

"Who are you calling 'mountain' lion?" She clapped the dirt out of her hands as she saw Souma bend to the side from her sudden jab into his ribs. Deciding to let him groan out the pain, she turned to the females of the group. "I guess we are all tired. We should go rest up."

"Yeah," Megumi nodded, "I can barely move."

"Don't be ridiculous, ladies!" Yoshino cut in with a grin. "We're about to reap out rewards!"

"Rewards?" They all repeated.

"Dinner, bath, and hotel room! I bet they'll all be extravagant and sumptuous! I'm going to experience all of it to the hilt!" Eyes shining with delight at the images of rich food, warm baths, and comfy beds in her head, Yoshino headed towards the entrance of the hotel.

* * *

Eyes from all students widened as soon as they entered the lobby and were greeted with the sight of buff men flexing their muscles at them. All thoughts in their heads dried upon seeing one of the Totsuki alumni, Hitoshi, walking in with a cart holding a covered tray. He cleared his throat, making sure all present students gave him their undivided attention. "Those of you who finish serving them dinner," he presented the muscular men, "will be allowed to have free time."

"Who…are they?" Kagome whispered, wondering where this task was coming from.

"Who are they!?" Yoshino exclaimed, feeling her dream of comfort slipping away.

"Jowan University bodybuilder club members who are staying nearby." Hitoshi continued. "The American football club and wrestling club members will arrive in a bit."

The students' brows twitched at their flexing muscles.

Hitoshi uncovered the tray, revealing the steak, salad, rice, and miso meal. "Our dinner today consists of a steak set. Each of you will make fifty servings."

"F-Fifty servings each!?" Yoshino shouted with the rest of the students. "B-But Sekimori-senpai! What about our dinner?"

"Once you finish making fifty servings, you can make your own." He replied.

"Make our own?" Yoshino repeated, reality sinking in heavier. "W-What about our extravagant dinner?"

"There will be no such thing. I will also have you know that during your training camp, all breakfast and dinner meals will be prepared by yourselves."

The Polar Star girls could not help but wince at the sight of Yoshino's soul almost slipping out of her as they were sure they heard a crack in her heart with the reality of the camp setting in. It was to be expected; it was indeed the camp of hell.

"Lastly," Hitoshi continued, holding a timer, "if you cannot finish serving our guests dinner within the next sixty minutes, you will be expelled on the spot. Begin!"

Students quickly ran to the main kitchens while changing out of their coats and ties to place their chef uniforms. Kagome sighed, knowing it was too good to be true to have her freedom for the rest of the day. Putting her hair up in a ponytail, the miko placed her uniform jacket on one of the lockers in the back before grabbing a white chef coat. Rushing into the kitchen, she took a step back at the chaos ensuing and the stressful screaming of students rushing to get their fifty servings done.

Kagome gulped, unsure if she was cut out to be on her own and making a meal in a Totsuki Resort. Feeling a pat on her shoulder, her eyes glided upwards to see Souma looking ahead.

"Ready?" He grinned. "Just like old times in the restaurant: you versus me."

Watching him walk away and choose his station, Kagome looked for her own. _'That's right. I can't let them baby me. I can't let Souma-kun guide me all the time. I need to prove to others and myself that I can do this.'_ Washing her hands, Kagome looked at the meal at the front for reference. Simple. Preparing the steak, she quickly seasoned all meats and prepared the sauce.

Her eyes landed on the waiting body builders as one by one, trays by students were left at the front, but not before Hitoshi inspected them. Her ears caught the small complaints of pain from the body builders as they tried to stretch some of their arm muscles. _'Sore?'_ She blinked. Looking at the vegetables on her table, she looked at the back of the kitchen for ginseng. Perhaps she could use it on the sauce of the meat to help with their fatigue.

"Nakiri Erina," Hitoshi's voice caught the miko's attention, "fifty servings have been completed! Well done!"

' _Erina?'_ Kagome blinked. So she had to participate, too, huh?

Ignoring the shouts of others to move away, and the echoes of their tiredness, Kagome continued to move. She had to continue chanting the mantra in her head: she was not tired. And although she was, it was not as bad as when she was younger and Joichirou was pushing Souma and her to keep up and serve some of the customers. And it also did not compare to the quickness she had to adopt when she battled. All her senses were heightened, and her concentration solidified on her task in hand.

"Yukihira Souma," Hitoshi spoke, marking off something on his notepad, "fifty servings, complete! You pass the test!"

"Well," Souma waved, "I'll be waiting in Marui's room."

"Don't be! I want to turn in early tonight!"

The miko looked up from her task as she waited for the steaks to cook thoroughly and saw the red head take his headband off. Figures. Scoffing with a roll of her eyes, she smiled before continuing.

"Hayama Akira, fifty servings complete!"

Placing his knife down on the cutting board, Hayama nodded at his completion. He walked around a few stations before noticing the miko using the ginseng on the steak sauce. He smirked, knowing the purpose behind the change. Observing her movements, and the way she invested herself in the task, he could tell she was evolving.

And fast.

* * *

"I said I'd be in Marui's room," Souma sighed, walking in the empty hall leading to their rooms, "but it's not like there is anything for me to do by myself. I wonder if anything is on TV." Stopping in his tracks, Souma turned his head to the right to see the sign directing the way to the communal baths. "Oh!" His eyes lit up. "Right! I'll just take my bath before everyone else! Maybe I'll have the bath all to myself now!" Skipping to his room, he hummed to himself in delight. "I gotta go get my yukata and underwear!"

Turning around the corner, his body pushed against another making him wince before opening his eyes to see the person who had fallen to the floor. "Ah! Wari!" Souma blinked, noticing the blonde hair and female before him.

"Y-Yukihira Souma!"

Watching her cover herself with her yukata, Souma's sweat drop floated over his head. "You all right, Nakiri? Did you twist your ankle or anything?"

Erina quickly raised her palm, stopping him from offering his hand to help her stand. "Don't touch me! I can get up without your help!" Cheeks blooming pink, Erina looked away from Souma's state. _'What a mistake! I let my guard down because I didn't think anyone would be here. To be seen like this by him, of all people!'_ Standing up, Erina adjusted the front part of her yukata before turning around to give Souma a glare. _'I hope he didn't hear me humming.'_

"So, you seem to be in a really good mood, humming and all."

"Humming!? Who!?" She shouted, blush exploding into a darker hue. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" Her heart seemed to stop after hearing Souma had heard her hum!

"Well," Souma nodded, "I can see why you would be in a good mood. We're at a hot spring, and we're staying here for a few nights. I brought stuff like cards and hanafuda for no reason, too."

"I-I'm not like you." Erina stated, stopping him from going further in a comfortable conversation. "I was told this is supposed to be a camp straight out of hell, but I just find it a boring, pointless excursion. Still," she smirked, "getting to see when you and that girl will get expelled may prove to be of some entertainment."

Nodding again, Souma tilted his head a little higher. "Right. Right. Says the one that was prancing down the hallway."

"Erina-sama!"

Turning to the incoming voice, both blinked at the sight of Erina's secretary running towards her.

"I'm sorry I took so long!" Hisako exclaimed, holding a bag by her side. "It was more work than I had thought-!" Her eyes widened at the sight of the red head. "Y-Yukihira Souma! What are you doing here!?"

"Oh," he pointed his thumb at the blonde queen, "I pushed Nakiri down on the floor."

"C-Chotto!" Erina shouted. "Don't make it sound like something it wasn't!"

Horror overtook Hisako's facial expression as the dark thoughts of Souma taking advantage of her lady popped in her head. "Huh!?" She yelled, quickly coming to block his view of Erina.

"But it was." He blinked. "I made you go all 'boing' and stuff."

"B-Boing?!" Hisako repeated, looking at her master.

"T-That's not true, Hisako! God! Just go somewhere else already!"

"Fine, fine." He pouted, not wanting the yelling to get any louder. Knowing it was best to leave, Souma waved them goodbye as he headed towards the communal baths.

Watching him hum away, Hisako gulped, unsure if she should question his presence around Erina. "Um, is everything okay, Erina-sama?"

Huffing under her breath, Erina crossed her arms. "You may go take your bath, Hisako."

"Hai…" Hisako nodded. "Oh, I did manage to borrow the cards from the front desk!" Showing her the cards from the bag, she gave Erina a wide smile. "See!"

"I would never play something so frivolous!" Erina pouted, looking away annoyed. The last thing she wanted was to do exactly what Souma was doing!

Blinking back, Hisako was thrown into a wave of confusion seeing Erina rejecting what she had requested since arriving to the resort. Had she not asked to get cards?

* * *

"Finished?"

With the door flapping close behind her, Kagome slowly lowered her hand from her forehead. Her head turned to the voice beside the kitchen exit; shoulders untensed at the sight of the silver haired chef. "Hayama-kun…"

"I'm impressed you were able to finish before most of these people." He spoke, opening his eyes to meet her own. "And to think these chefs have had kitchen experience."

The miko's eyes narrowed at his 'insult'. Whether it was or was not, she had caught on. She sighed, closing her eyes in thought. "Well, guess either they are slowing down or I am catching up."

"And who exactly are you trying to catch up to?"

The question made her eyes snap open before turning her head to the spice chef. Who…was she trying to catch up to? View drifting down to the floor, she heard Hayama begin to walk past her while taking out a cinnamon stick from his own bag.

"Well, I do hope you survive this camp, Higurashi-san." He whispered. "It would be a shame to see talent get expelled."

Kagome's eyes narrowed with worry thinking to everyone she had met so far. Each and every one of them had some kind of experience or past in the culinary world, and her…she was a complete rookie. Sure, she had experience having grown up with Souma and in his father's kitchen, but she learned the basics.

That is all she had.

Hayama questioning her attendance was beginning to make herself question it. Her head turned over her shoulder to see Hayama walking further down the hall. His question echoed in her mind, making her sigh. She had not even realized she was trying so hard but for what goal? Just to pass? That was her mentality right now: to survive. Shaking the thoughts away, the miko made her way forward. _'I need that bath…'_

"Did you see him!?"

"I didn't think he would be that handsome in person!"

Walking past a few tourists in the hall, Kagome overheard their squeals and excitement.

"Can't believe Chef Kouga actually is in the Totsuki resort!"

Kagome stopped in her steps.

"We should have asked for his autograph!"

Looking over her shoulder, Kagome's shoulders dropped as her lips parted. As the tourist group walked away, Kagome was left staring at their backs. "Chef…Kouga?"

* * *

Eyes narrowing at the written recipe on his lap, the French-cuisine chef sighed as he took a sip of his red wine. Even the taste of wine was becoming dull. To think he had to judge the dishes of the weak in Totsuki for the next few days. Shaking his head, Shinomiya placed his created recipe on the coffee table of his hotel room before hearing a knock on his door. With a raised brow, Shinomiya placed his glass of wine on the coaster before walking over.

Seriously, who was visiting him this late at night? If it was Hinako, he was going to close and lock the door immediately. "Who is it?" He questioned, tone hardened with irritation.

Opening the door, Shinomiya's lips parted with shock only to be replaced with a smirk. "Well, well. I seriously didn't expect a late-night visit for _you._ "

"I had to." Shinomiya's eyes noticed the bottle of wine in his guest's hand. "You have been crying to my wife about this wine for the past two years."

Scoffing under his breath, Shinomiya allowed the black-haired male in before closing the door behind him. Taking the bottle of wine, he eyed the label. " _Chateau Margaux 2009 Balthazar."_ He chuckled as he walked over to the table of liquor set up by the hotel. "Didn't think she would find it."

"You are talking about my wife here." He replied. "She is an expert at her job, you know?" Watching Shinomiya open the bottle, he smirked at the sight of the chef enjoying the rich scent of the red wine. "It wasn't easy, though. You owe her four-hundred thousand sixty-two yen."

"That much, huh?" Shinomiya rolled his eyes. The price of good wine was rising. Grabbing an empty glass, he turned around offering a drink. Given a yes, Shinomiya turned back to pour a bit for the two. "I am sure you aren't just here for delivering the wine. A famous culinary master of meat wouldn't be doing deliveries to me, isn't that right," turning to hand him the glass, Shinomiya raised his own glass for a toast, "Kouga."

Smirking back, Kouga slowly brought the wine glass to his lips. "Let's just say I was asked to…supervise." Noticing the paper on the coffee table, Kouga's brow rose questioningly seeing the title. His new recipe? Picking it up, he read over the ingredients. "It needs meat." He scoffed.

"We aren't all meat eaters like you." Shinomiya smirked before taking a sip of his wine. "Vegetables also need to shine."

Nodding his head with his bottom lip sticking out, Kouga shrugged. "Vegetables still taste better with meat."

"Childish."

"So?" Kouga spoke, noticing only half of the recipe was complete. "Where is the rest?"

Falling silent, Shinomiya's eyes narrowed before turning back to face the window. "I'm working on it."

Kouga's eyes mimicked those of the chef's with his lips curving into a smile. "Is that so?" He took another look at the recipe; he sighed as he finished his wine in one sip. Placing the recipe back on the coffee table, he also placed his wine glass on the coaster. "Well, don't be so hard on them tomorrow."

Shinomiya watched the meat CEO from the reflection of the window while keeping his glass close to his chest.

"After all," Kouga continued, walking to the door, "I heard you were…stagnating." Opening the door, Kouga saluted him without looking back. "Get some rest, _Chef_ Shinomiya."

The glare tightened; Shinomiya's fingers shook as he watched the wolf walk away. Hearing Kouga give his goodbye, he waited for the door to fully close before turning to see the recipe from the corner of his eyes.

He would be anything but easy.

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** So I have decided to introduce some special characters in the food world! I hope...I don't ruin it with having decided with what each person is in charge of...

But other than that, I hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you for reading, and I am just happy I was able to update two stories for my birthday!

Please review!

Ja~ne


	7. Leaders Tremble

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** I know it's been a long wait, but thank you for being so patient with me. This story was voted to be updated next (on Tumblr), so here it goes! Thank you to those who have reviewed this story. All your reviews are read over and over again to remind me to keep going.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter 06:** Leaders Tremble

* * *

"Hmph. I can never understand what her problem is." Frowning at the pushed away treatment he received from Erina in the hall, Souma placed his belonging in the baskets for guests before turning around to grab a white towel. Bare and ready to go out, Souma's frown melted away with the excitement of the bath coming in mind. "I'm gonna take my sweet time taking a bath!"

Walking over to the enormous doors leading to the hot springs, Souma slid the door open. "First one in, here I-!" His eyes immediately widened at the sight of ripped muscles that could kill a man flexing. Souma's blood ran cold noticing it was a person harboring those muscles. Sitting next to the buff male, Souma noticed another male – slender with muscle as well – giving him a raised brow while he put his hair up into a high ponytail. The longer he stared, the sooner it got him to realize the intimidation these men oozed-

"Oh? The first one is here already? Sorry," the buff male smirked, looking over his shoulder, "stretching in the bath is part of my daily routine."

"Looks like they beat us, Dojima-san." The other chuckled.

-for a second. Souma's fear swiftly washed away as soon as he heard them speak. Confidently walking towards the bath, Souma laughed with them. "Man, I was all revved up thinking I would be the first one in here! The disappointment!"

Laughing along with the teen, Dojima smiled. "Sorry about that. You are the first student in, so you'll have to take that as a win."

"Ah, you're the one that introduced us to the alumni! Dojima-senpai, correct?" Souma blinked, realizing who the muscular male was. To think all those muscles could squeeze into the formal suit he had been wearing earlier in the day.

"Yes, that is correct." Moving to the side, Dojima gave Souma a view of the male sitting beside him. "This is Ichirou Kouga; this is man runs the number one meat industry in Japan. Kouga-san sells his meat to only the best restaurants and chefs around the world."

"Ah!" Souma's fist came over his palm, "Kouga….san…sorry," he chuckled nervously, "I have no idea who you are. To be honest, I don't know any of the famous chefs here."

Dojima blinked; water splashed as Kouga came forward.

"Eh!?" Kouga exclaimed before his shoulders dropped into the water. "And here I thought kids your age were caught up with hot trends."

Dojima scoffed with a smirk hearing Kouga's words. "Since when did you think you were trending with the young ones?" Although he had to admit, most people did know Kouga because of his famous business partners, but he was well known across Japan. Even those coming into Totsuki were well educated to know who their role models were.

"Sorry, sorry," Souma scratched the back of his head, "I tend to only focus on my cooking."

"Huh…" Kouga's brow rose once again. Talk about self-centered.

Massaging his stiff shoulder, Dojima nodded to Souma's words. "It is surprising to find you here so early. Given last year and this year, Totsuki has some good students in the pipeline."

"Last year?" Souma blinked.

"The task to prepare fifty servings has been simultaneously assigned at multiple locations." Dojima continued, thinking back to the years he had the pleasure to see which students survived the camp. "It's obvious who completed the task the fastest."

"Ah yes," Kouga nodded, "I remember you telling me you try to finish your bath and leave before students show up. Wasn't there one last year that really caught your interest?"

"Oh?" Souma's curiosity piqued.

Dojima nodded, "he's now the seventh seat in the Elite Ten, if I remember correctly. He seemed promising, as well."

' _Ah! It's someone I know!'_ A wide smile with a sweat drop over Souma's head appeared as the image of Isshiki and Dojima making conversation came in mind. 'Huh. That sounds like Isshiki-senpai, all right-.' Souma's eyes widened slightly as his memories flashed back to the hall and his encounter with a fully bathed and dressed Erina. _'Wait, so she finished up even earlier than me?'_

"Well," Dojima continued, "speed isn't everything, but it's clear that there is skill involved."

"That girl comes in mind, huh?" Kouga cut in noticing the look in Souma's eyes.

"Ah, Nakiri Erina."

Souma's eyes landed on Dojima seeing both men agreeing to his personal thoughts.

"The granddaughter of the academy's director." Dojima spoke, remembering having met the little girl around the age of five and already doing things most young adult chefs were barely learning to do. "The God Tongue…She has had access to the academy's main lecturers since infancy. Only the most refined baby food touched her lips. When she tasted several varieties of salt blindfolded as a child…," he shook his head having not believed the story either when he first heard it, "she correctly named each salt's origin, etc. There are more stories than I can count about her God Tongue."

"Her sudden jump into the Elite Ten is founded on true talent, though." Kouga added, resting his elbows back on the edge of the hot springs. "If she continues to excel, she will become a monster, if you ask me."

"A 'masterpiece', Kouga-san." Dojima shook his head.

"Monster." Kouga scoffed back. It was not normal for humans to be so good at smelling and tasting food like _they_ did.

Nodding, Dojima rested his elbows back on the edge. With a long sigh, Dojima shrugged. "Well, either way, she is still a diamond in the rough. Totsuki is an otherworldly place, where those with talent throng together and devour one another. Its depths are unfathomable. You better prepare yourself, boy!"

Souma nodded, understanding what Dojima was telling him. Totsuki, from here on out, was going to be hell, but only those strong enough for the challenge with succeed.

"Yukihira!"

The sound of the sliding door slamming across caught their attention to the blonde standing with a towel around his waist.

"I may have fallen behind you this time, but it won't happen next time-!" The blonde froze the second he caught sight of the two older chefs inside the water with his new rival. "C-Chef Dojima!? C-Chef Kouga!?"

"Oh~." Kouga snapped his fingers at the teen. "See, he knows me, Dojima-san."

"Well, it would seem like we have overstayed our welcome, Kouga-san." Standing up in the water, Dojima grabbed the towel near the edge. "Let's get going."

"Hai, hai." Kouga sighed, wanting to stay a little longer to relax. Looking at the red headed chef still inside, Kouga's hand reached out for a handshake. "The camp is just beginning, boy. It's not just about mental strength, but also physically, so be sure to take care of yourself." Kouga smirked the moment Souma's hand met his for the shake. "Good luck."

"Thanks, Kouga-senpai. Dojima-senpai." Souma stood up in respect of their exit only to have the young Aldini come in and bump him on the side with his elbow. "What?"

"Do you know who they are?!" Takumi exclaimed.

"Yeah," Souma nodded back, "Dojima-senpai, and Kouga-senpai."

"Well, yeah! B-But…wait! Hang on a second! How could you just casually shake hands with Kouga and speak to them like that, Yukihira!?"

Stopping midway from closing the door behind him, Dojima blinked catching the red head's name. _'Yukihira?'_ Dojima looked over his shoulder, noticing the red head continuing to laugh as Takumi kept going with his questions. _'I've heard that name before…'_

"What's wrong?" Kouga questioned, noticing the other chef having stopped in his steps.

Closing the door behind him, Dojima sighed, "nothing."

* * *

Body sunk deeper into the warm water until it stopped a little over her nose. Eyes narrowed annoyingly as her head replayed Hayama's words.

" _ **And who exactly are you trying to catch up to?"**_

Was there something he had noticed and she had not? Blowing bubbles through her nose, Kagome held back a grumble. The last thing she needed was someone insulting her 'skill'. _'And here I thought Hayama-kun was a nice guy.'_ Give her some arrows and a bow, and some demons, then she could show skill.

"Why are you so quiet, Kagome-chan? Weren't you looking forward to the baths?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked, lips finally coming up from the water. "Oh, it's nothing, Yoshino-chan. I'm just exhausted."

Yoshino exhaled, agreeing with the miko. Submerging herself into the warm water, she smiled tiredly at Kagome, Megumi, and Sakaki. "Preparing fifty serving took a lot out of me."

"I'm just glad we all made it." Sakaki chuckled as she pinned her hair up.

"So far." Kagome sighed. If all trials were going to be like Hinako's, then maybe she would survive.

"Well," Sakaki sighed, "they don't call it the camp from hell for nothing."

"But once you soak in a hot bath, you find the energy to give it another try!" Megumi chuckled as she moved her rubber ducky to face the other way.

Looking at the duck, Kagome tilted her head to the side. Was that really hers?

"You brought it?" Sakaki asked, noticing the small toy swimming towards her.

"Oh, I thought I should let him see the world." Megumi shrugged with a smile. Poking the top of the duck's head, Megumi released a content sigh. She was surprised to find herself still here after having survived Hinako's tough challenge. She only hoped the rest of the days would go without quarrel.

Yoshino's eyes narrowed as her cheeks became tinted with pink from the soothing heat. "We should probably head to Marui-kun's room." All three girls blinked the moment Yoshino sprung up on her feet as water curved down her body. "Let's see this room that would normally cost us eight-thousand yen per night!"

* * *

Eyes sparkled with excitement at the beautiful and luxurious room welcoming her. Yoshino's heart thumped never believing she would live to enjoy a room she could only experience through the internet. It almost seemed like the whole room sparkled for her!

"Ah!" Jumping on Marui's unoccupied, Yoshino rolled in the comfort. "This is so comfy!"

A chuckle escaped the miko's lips as she watched Yoshino enjoy another person's bed. As Megumi and Sakaki made their way to Yoshino, she adjusted her yukata. At least they could rest. She could already hear her body beginning for a bed as well. Feeling a hand landing on her head, the miko blinked upwards to see the grin glued on the red head's lips.

"You made it!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she moved Souma's hand away from her head. "Did you underestimate me?"

"Of course not!" He snickered.

Noticing tupperware in his hand, Kagome blinked before leaning closer to his hands. Was that…? She quickly took a step back the moment she noticed the slimy substance inside. "What the hell are you doing with that?!"

"It's a party, isn't it?"

"Parties don't welcome poison." She huffed, crossing her arms. When did he even have time to create his nightmares? Eyes darted towards the owner of the room. Blink after blink, the other Polar Star students watched as Marui shivered out of exhaustion. "Marui-kun…are you okay?" Kagome asked, seeing his thin face and paleness. If anything, it looked like his body was ready to give in at any moment. Had the first day of the camp already exhausted him that much?

"Oh? You care about my health, Kagome-san?" Marui's tone shook. "Then why don't you hear what I have to say? Let's call it a day and get some rest for tomorrow."

"We brought the refreshments and cards!" The boys shouted as they placed a box of drinks on the floor and the cards on the bed.

"Why do you guys keep coming to my room!?" Marui exclaimed. It was bad enough parties always happened in his room at the dorm.

"All right!" Yoshino jumped up, preparing her seat on the mattress. "What game are we going to play today!?"

"Daihinmin!" Both Sato and Aoki grinned. "One hundred games!"

Feeling the arms of the boys on top of his shoulders, Marui's teeth grinned. Although he hated the parties, he was never one to cower when a challenge arrived. "Fine! Bring it!"

* * *

Placing a blanket over Yoshino's shoulders, Kagome sighed seeing the other three boys passed out on the bed as well. They had not even lasted ten minutes in the game. Shaking her head, Kagome turned around to face the others sitting on the rug. "Well," Kagome walked over to them before taking her seat next to Megumi, "that's four, now it is our turn to hit the sack."

"I guess we all got hit by a wave of exhaustion." Sakaki chuckled.

"Lights out should be soon." Ibusaki whispered, as he held a paper cup between his teeth.

"Are you not sleepy, Megumi-chan?" Kagome questioned, noticing her gaze on the cups being juggled by the red head. "I thought you went to bed early?"

Megumi chuckled softly as she pulled back a strand of hair behind her hair. "It's weird, huh? I am tired, but I am wide awake."

"Well," Souma shrugged, as he continued to juggle the cups, "you've been super focused the whole day. Not to mention, we had to follow Kagome on a rampage when Takumi called her out as a rival."

"That was you." Kagome's eyes narrowed.

Megumi chuckled again, "that's not the only reason. I…," fingers curled into the fabric of her light yukata, "I have always been nervous in class. My anxiety makes me mess up the whole time, and I am constantly worrying about it, but today, I managed to back up Souma-kun and Kagome-chan just fine! So…just a bit…I am starting to feel confident in myself, and to be honest, I am excited about that."

Lips parting, Kagome blinked as Megumi tried to tell the others it was all because of the her and Souma helping her. Helping her? This whole time…she was being helped.

She was the amateur.

If anything, she thought everyone around her was talented, and Kagome applaud them for that. To be so young and passionate about something. Yet, here she was listening to Megumi praising _her._ It only confused her further, but her words echoed in her head. Megumi was excited about the confidence that was beginning to bloom inside of her; she would be lying to herself if she did not feel the same seed inside.

"That's not even true!" Souma interrupted Megumi with a wide smile. "If you hadn't helped Kagome or me, we couldn't have completed the dish! Your cooking is amazing!"

"He's right!" Sakaki nodded. "You're totally capable of rising to the occasion. Have more confidence, okay?"

Watching Megumi give them a small nod, Kagome placed her hand over her shoulder to send a smile of her own. Whatever worries Megumi was brewing, she was sure it would turn out alright.

Everything would turn out alright.

"Look! Sixteen cups!" Souma shouted grabbing everyone's attention.

As the ones awake were awed by Souma's quick juggling, Kagome noticed Megumi bringing up her temple charm to her chest as she smiled at her friends trying to juggle. There was fear in all of them, but slowly, confidence began to sprout.

* * *

Blink after blink, Kagome's fingers came to pick up the recipe on the counter of her work space. A brow rose upon reading the ingredients and directions to the dish. _'A terrine?'_ She looked around the classroom to see everyone also confused about the given recipe. No sign of their instructor; something in her gut told her something ominous was coming. Just by reading the overly detailed directions, she had a feeling their next instructor was going to be a pain.

"It is a full vegetable meal."

The miko's eyes rose to meet green hues.

"Only one chef could be assigning this."

Straightening herself out, Kagome lowered the recipe to the counter of her work space. "A surprise to find you in this group, Hayama-kun."

He chuckled, "well, there is a rotation every day."

"Right." She nodded back. "How did yesterday go?"

"Too easy, if you ask me."

The miko's brow twitched. Was everyone this highly confident in their skills? Even if she was labeled the best chef of the country, she would still be nervous to serve dishes. A sigh passed her lips as her eyes returned to the recipe in hand. Perhaps if would not be as bad as she thought?

"Apparently," Hayama whispered, looking at the other nervous students, "our instructor today is the harshest of the alumni."

Kagome blinked back. Only one person came in mind.

* * *

"Man!" Souma stretched his arms above his head. "I didn't get enough sleep! I just hope I don't have to be running around wild in the mountains for this next trial."

Chuckling, Megumi walked beside the red head as they headed to their assigned room. To think even Souma would be getting nervous was surprising, but it made her feel at ease to know even skilled people had their days.

"I couldn't stop thinking of recipes, and then when I had an idea, I had to write them down!"

A sweat drop appeared over Megumi's head. Of course he would be thinking about that. Sighing, Megumi blinked as she and Souma entered the room to see Kagome at her station and staring at a silver haired student. "Huh? Who is that?" Megumi whispered.

Raising a brow, Souma watched as the unnamed male turned around to walk to his own station. He did not recognize him, but by the looks of it, it seemed Kagome did. Making his way towards his childhood friend, Souma looked over the girl's shoulder. "Who was that?" He asked. His eyes blinked once upon noticing Kagome staring at the recipe. "Oi." He spoke again. "Kago-chan."

Blinking out of her inner thoughts, Kagome looked over her shoulder. "Oh, Souma-kun, hey."

"Why so quiet?" He questioned.

"Do you know what a terrine is?" She pushed the recipe his way.

Souma took the paper in his hand before scanning the content. "Terrain?"

"Terrine." The miko's eyes narrowed to match her sarcastic tone.

Grabbing another copy of the recipe from her station, Megumi read the steps given. "Oh, a vegetable terrine; this terrine has nine chosen vegetables." A concerned expression slowly melted onto her face as she continued to read the details. "This can be tricky. Each vegetable requires specific preparation and cooking times, and the goal of this dish is for one never to overwhelm or underwhelm the other ingredients."

"Good morning."

All heads turned to the front of the room to see their instructor making his way to his special seat. Eyes widened slowly upon taking in the reality of the nightmare. Of all people, it was _him._

"I'm Shinomiya," the alumni chef sighed as he took out a copy of his recipe from his seat, "an alumnus of the seventy-ninth graduating class. This task involves cooking a dish of my choosing. You all have the _recette_ , I hope?"

"Shit." One of the students whispered behind them. "It's Chef Shinomiya."

"Seriously?" Another cursed. "I heard he already expelled more than thirty students yesterday, and now he assigned us a recipe he came up with, too."

Showing the front of the recipe, a smirk decorated Shinomiya's lips. "Don't worry, I chose the easiest of my _recettes_. Would you prefer a more difficult challenge?"

"Ha…," Kagome's brow twitched, "he really is looking down on us."

"Lettuce?" Souma tilted his head to the side. "Why does he keep saying 'lettuce'?"

"Recette, Souma-kun!" Megumi whispered. "It means recipe!"

"Also…"

The room fell silent once again.

"…you are not allowed to form teams for this task. I will have each of you prepare the dish. You may not share information or help each other during this process."

Hell immediately froze for everyone upon hearing Shinomiya's rule.

Shinomiya pointed to the back of the room with empty stations having different vegetables needed for the recipe. "You will each select ingredients from the piles at the back of the kitchen. Lastly, a word of advice: you would do better to think of everyone else as your enemies."

The miko's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Enemies? Something about the way he had said it rubbed her the wrong way. Totsuki was about weeding out the ones who were not able to survive whatever task thrown to them, but to purposely make enemies in such a way only made her question the exact motives. _'Or perhaps this is just a personality problem?'_ She gave herself a mental scoff. Auras around her immediately heightened protectively and aggressively. No doubt Shinomiya's words had triggered everyone.

"The time limit is three hours." Shinomiya continued as he raised his hand. "Now…begin."

A stampede of students rushed to the back, leaving Kagome and Souma to see everyone in a hurry to grab the ingredients. Looking at the paper again, Kagome sighed. "Enemies, huh?"

"Well, as long as people complete the dish, there is really no reason to make enemies." Souma whispered back.

As Souma left her side, Kagome sighed while remembering all the vegetables on the list. She placed the recipe on the counter before grabbing a tray to collect all the necessary ingredients. The noise escalated, and before she could even reach to grab a cabbage, she was pushed by another person. The miko's glare returned noticing the chaos beginning to boil.

Is this what Chef Shinomiya wanted?

Snaking herself in to grab what she could, she reached for a cauliflower. Her eyes caught sight of the familiar blue sleeve; looking up, Kagome blinked seeing Hayama having grabbed a cauliflower of his own.

"It looks like you grabbed the last good one." He whispered before turning away to walk to his station.

And it was true; her gaze fell. The rest of the cauliflowers were already past their perfect stage. Nodding to herself, Kagome placed it on her tray before turning. She immediately stopped her feet the moment she caught sight of Megumi rushing to the cauliflower station.

"Oh no…" Megumi whispered. Her blood froze as she picked each cauliflower to check for any good portions. One after another ended up being worse than the one before. "Is…there none left?" White to her right caught her attention. Turning her head, Megumi blinked to see Kagome close to her side to hide the view of the trade. Megumi's eyes looked over her shoulder to see Shinomiya staring at another pair trying to help each other. She gulped the moment Shinomiya gave them a warning.

Looking back at the miko, Megumi shook her head. "I-I can't, Kagome-chan…we will both get expelled-". Megumi blinked again as she saw Kagome placing the last good cauliflower on the pile of the bad ones before one of those were grabbed by her. Was Kagome really going to sacrifice her dish with a bad cauliflower? This was Shinomiya! The harshest alumni!

Kagome winked at her before turning around to grab a few spices from the pantry. As she heard Megumi hesitantly turn away and run back to her station, a small smile appeared over the miko's lips. It was a risk – a big risk, but it was fishy. To have so many bad vegetables when he was known to be a vegetable expert? Surely he knew better.

She shook her head, _'can't concentrate on that right now, Kagome! Focus!'_ She stared at discoloration of the cauliflower. Her head turned slightly over her shoulder in search for Souma only to stop her own movements. She had to stop relying on him. It was time she did stuff on her own. Looking back at the cauliflower, Kagome sighed. Was there a way to bleach it out? Giving herself a mental scoff, Kagome's eyes returned to the pantry. _'Right, use bleach, Kagome.'_ In the middle of grabbing the needed spices, Kagome's hand froze the moment her eyes caught sight of the white vinegar on the shelf.

' _White vinegar…'_ Her eyes widened slowly as a memory flashed in her head. A memory long shelved in her own archive. Grabbing the bottle, Kagome's brow furrowed.

She had to take the risk.

Turning around in his own station, Hayama stopped from exiting to the pantry only to see the miko run past him with her ingredients and a bottle under her arm. A brow rose questioningly recognizing the confident look on her face.

What was she thinking?

* * *

"Pass."

Giving Shinomiya a bow with his head, Hayama took the plate back to his station. Only a few were passing, but where his curiosity laid still did not give him answers. His eyes traveled to the front of the room where a line of students ready to be judged stood. Shinomiya had taken his seat, and it was nerve-wracking enough to see his unamused expression with each taste he took. But he himself felt no different; he was confident his dish would pass. Crossing his arms, Hayama's brow rose seeing the red head chef being next for his judging.

Everyone was curious.

"Yukihira Souma." He introduced himself.

Shinomiya stared at the dish for a few seconds to take in the presentation. No flaws. "Oh?" Chuckling under his breath, Shinomiya grabbed the fork from the side of the plate before cutting himself a piece to taste. Silence curtained the room as everyone waited to know if the transfer student would pass. Placing the fork back, Shinomiya gave Souma a small nod, "pass."

Hayama's eyes narrowed; Kagome, holding her tray, sighed in relief to know he has passed. The worry now laid on Megumi and herself. If they could survive this, the rest of the camp would be less painful.

"You're fired." Shinomiya spoke, placing the fork down on the student's tray in his hands. "Thanks for your hard work."

"I-I'll make it again!"

"Do you have any ingredients?"

The student froze upon hearing Shinomiya's question.

"You have no ingredients left. No time. If you still insist that you can remake the dish, you're a greater magician than I can ever hope to become." His finger pointed to the exit of the room before he repeated his statement, "fired."

Souma looked over his shoulder, watching the one of the students pleaded for a second chance. He could see Megumi waiting behind him with her nerves taking control of the shake on her legs. No doubt she was becoming more worried with her dish now that she was standing a few feet away from Shinomiya.

Taking a hesitant step forward, Megumi tried her best to hide her swallowed nerves. It was her turn. "T-Tadokoro Megumi."

Eyes landed on the terrine: good presentation. Eyebrows furrowed slowly as Shinomiya grabbed the fork and gave it a try. The silence could not have dragged on further, and if there was a difference to Souma's silence it was the heavy atmosphere now weighing everyone down.

Shinomiya placed the fork back on the tray before sighing under his breath. "Pass."

Megumi's eyes widened; a smile formed over Kagome's and Souma's lips.

All anxiety within washed away, and Megumi turned around to present the two a smile she did not think could form. With Kagome sending her a wink, Megumi nodded back before walking down the hall of stations to get to her own.

Kagome took a deep breath upon realizing it was her turn, and she was now only a few feet away from her pass or fail. Before she could take one step forward, she stopped herself the moment she saw Shinomiya's palm directed to her.

"You're fired."

Souma's eyes widened as Megumi turned her head over her shoulder. Did he-?

"What?" Kagome blinked. "Chef Shinomiya, but you haven't-"

"I won't taste it." He cut her off.

From his own station, Hayama's eyes narrowed with curiosity. Immediate failure? _'He saw it then.'_ There was no doubt it had not escaped Shinomiya's attention. After all, it was _his_ kitchen.

Grabbing the sheet listing all of the student of the day, Shinomiya sighed. "You must be Higurashi Kagome, correct?" He shook his head as his eyes hooded with a glare. Standing up from his seat, he looked at the rest of passing students, "well then, that concludes our session."

The miko's fingers paled as she gripped the tray in her hands. Fired? Just like that? Now he was ignoring her completely. Whatever was knotting in her stomach, she hated it. Looking at Shinomiya with her own mild glare, Kagome did her best to stand tall.

"Those who passed should prepare for the afternoon-"

"Excuse me, Chef Shinomiya," she interrupted him, "but may I know why my dish was not accepted?"

Meeting her eyes, Shinomiya exhaled heavily. "Ah. You used wine vinegar when you boiled the cauliflower that was no longer fresh, didn't you?"

Kagome's expression softened in shock. How did he-?

"You maintained the cauliflower's pristine color by using vinegar. Using vinegar in the seasoning also enhances the cauliflower's sweetness. The sweetness of the vegetables and the vinegar's mild acidity work together, but…that was not in my recipe."

She had done everything possible to hide the bottle. She was sure she was secretive about it. It was a trick she remembered from her father when they were in charge of making dinner one night. A night she had been amazed to see her father works his own magic to preserve the freshness of the vegetables with simple tricks. The taste of the white vinegar was well hidden…

"Not to mention," Shinomiya continued, "you helped _her."_

All eyes glided over to Megumi.

"I thought I had made myself clear about helping others."

Expression hardening once again, Kagome noticed the recipe in his hand. "Aren't you supposed to taste it? That's the job of a chef."

Shinomiya chuckled under his breath, "you have no right to say what job I have. As far as I know it, I am the professional. Who said you could change the _recette_? This dish is intended to savor the harmony created by the sweetness of each vegetable. Nowhere in the _recette_ did it say to make use of acidity. The dish you made is an entirely different beast. Presenting a dish that does not align with the task merits a fail as a matter of course." Walking towards the exit, he waved here off with his clipboard in hand. "I hope that suffices as an answer for you."

Her gaze had slowly dropped to her untouched dish. She was angry and embarrassed to have had the speech overheard by everyone present. There was not an ounce of sympathy in his aura; the beating of her heart echoed in her ears. _'But didn't I…not care about being here? Then why…,'_ her vision blurred with the tears collecting at the edges, _'why do I feel this way?'_

"I don't."

The miko's head snapped up; Shinomiya stooped in his tracks. Both turned their heads to see the red headed male coming forward with crossed arms.

"Souma-kun…" Kagome whispered. Why was he walking over the plank to his death?

"It was what you'd call an unavoidable accident." Souma spoke with a raised brow.

"Y-Yeah!" Megumi came forth. "B-Besides, it was me who is at fault here! I was given her cauliflower!"

"Wait a minute!" Kagome shook her head at the two. "This is not your problem! Stay out of it before all of us are fired!"

Shinomiya's eyes narrowed to match his smirk, "better listen to your friend."

"Kagome, this isn't on you." Souma continued. "There were ingredients that weren't fresh. Besides, aren't we being treated as our senpais' employees during this time? So managing the ingredients is your responsibility as our boss, Shinomiya-senpai. Wouldn't that make this _your_ fault as the chef?"

Slamming his hand on the nearby station, Shinomiya's glare tightened. "You brat…who do you think you're talking to?! You don't seem to get it, so let me explain something to you brats. I added poor-quality cauliflowers on purpose to limit the number of people who would pass!"

Kagome's and Megumi's eyes widened, along with other students upon hearing the confession. Taking a step forward to stand by Souma's side, Kagome's placed her tray on the station beside her. "On purpose?" She repeated, glare of her own coming back. "You want people to fail?"

"Exactly as your heard." Shinomiya scoffed. "Cauliflower is an ingredient that is easily oxidized, easily damaged, and difficult to prepare. Any idiot who lost their cool and made a poor selection would fail. That includes any slowpokes who fell behind and couldn't secure a better ingredient."

"That's why Kagome tried to compensate for that by being creative!" Souma added.

Taking a step forward to stand in front of the red head, Shinomiya's expression darkened. " _I_ am the chef here! I would never allow my underlings to make changes to _my recette!"_

Kagome peeked from the corner of her eyes the moment she felt Souma's aura flare up. Quickly placing her hand over his arm, she stopped him from taking another challenging step towards the chef. "Souma-kun! Do not seek for trouble!"

"He is trying to kick you out-!" Souma's eyes widened; his words dropped upon seeing the tears laminating her eyes. She was holding it back.

"There is no other way around it, Souma-kun…" Kagome whispered. "It's been decided."

Eyes narrowing slowly, Souma's head turned back to face the head chef. She was barely blossoming, and she saved the dish! That had to get positive marks rather than negative! Taking a step forward, Souma pulled his arm away from Kagome's hold.

"Souma-kun…!" Kagome whispered, noticing the different rise in his aura. The rage remained, but he was in control.

"K-Kagome-chan…" Meeting to stand beside her, worry consumed her as she watched Souma meet Shinomiya. Whatever he had in mind, she had a gut feeling it was similar to the issue they had with Ikumi.

"Shinomiya-senpai." Souma called.

Stopping himself from turning his back on them, Shinomiya's brow rose. "What is it, Monsieur Yukihira? Do we have another complaint?"

"One question."

Shinomiya's eyes narrowed with curiosity.

"Does that Totsuki rule apply to alumni, too?"

"What Totsuki rule?" Shinomiya questioned.

The miko's expression slowly melted with shock, "he wouldn't…" Taking a step forward, her arm extended out to pull Souma's shirt. She had to stop him before the whole conflict worsened! "Souma-kun! Do not-!"

"Shokugeki."

Shinomiya's eyes widened as the word pulled the memories of his school days in Totsuki. A word that had always fueled his fire. Watching Souma untie the white sash from his wrist, Shinomiya turned his body to face the teens.

"If I beat you in a Shokugeki," Souma continued, "will you rescind Kagome's expulsion?"

Everyone present in the room could not believe they were witnessing a Shokugeki being called out, no less a student calling out an alumni. Hayama's eyes widened along with Megumi's not expecting such a careless challenge being declared.

' _What is he thinking?'_ Hayama watched from the side. Sacrificing his own attendance to save the girl? No one in Totsuki was that stupid to do it. Was he even aware Shinomiya was a former Elite Ten member?

"Shokugeki, huh?" Shinomiya scoffed. Adjusting his glasses, he smirked at the boy. "Doesn't that bring memories. A Shokugeki involving an opponent who is not currently a student is not without precedent, but," he chuckled, "it does require the consent of both parties, doesn't it? Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no intention of accepting the challenge. No matter how hard you may try, Higurashi Kagome's expulsion is final-"

"Well, let's not be too hasty."

Heads turned to the entrance of the room. Blinks were given upon seeing Dojima smirking back at them as he rested his elbow against the door frame. "Oh!" Souma blinked. "Dojima-senpai!"

Chuckling under his breath, Dojima took a step forward. "You seem to have quite the interesting situation developing here, Shinomiya."

"Oh? What do we have here?"

Shinomiya's brow twitched as he saw Hinako appear from behind Dojima's back and wave them a 'hello'. This is not what he needed at the moment.

"Why don't we move to a different room and discuss this?" Dojima suggested. "That includes Yukihira and Higurashi."

The miko's shoulders dropped as she felt a headache coming in. The last thing she wanted was to attract the attention of others, but when having the red head as a friend, that was impossible. She sighed under her breath before giving Megumi a smile and following Souma out of the room.

Watching them leave, Hayama's eyes narrowed once again having caught the different expression on the miko's face. That was not a look of worry.

* * *

Entering the lobby of their hotel, sweat trickled down the back of her spine as her fingers fidgeted. The whole thing had escalated because of her! She should have not taken Kagome's cauliflower, and if her expulsion was set, she knew she would be blaming herself for the rest of her life!

"Megumi!"

Hearing her name being called, the country girl looked up from her feet to see the other Polar Star residents running to her. "Everyone…"

"Where is Souma-kun and Kagome-chan?" Yoshino asked as she turned her head side-to-side.

"Um…," Megumi gulped, "they got held back for an important matter."

"Important matter?" Sakaki tilted her head to the side.

A screech from Megumi caught the attention of the other students that had followed her from Shinomiya's test. How could she explain the Shokugeki Souma initiated to save Kagome?

Passing by the group, Hayama took a small whiff of the cinnamon stick he held between his middle finger and thumb. The expression Kagome held as she left the room had him questioning what she had in mind. Other students would be trembling in fear to be going against Shinomiya in a Shokugeki, but both she and Souma were far from that mindset. If they were to come back, then he was convinced the two would become a change in the academy.

* * *

Taking a bite from Kagome's dish, Hinako's eyes brightened. "Oh my!" She cupped her cheek. "This is delicious!" Turning her head towards the French cuisine chef, Hinako sent him a frown. "Why not let her pass?" She booed. "You are still stubborn! Mule! I knew you were a narcissist-!"

"Be quiet, Hinako." Shinomiya growled as his hand landed in front of Hinako's face. This is why he did not want her of all people to be involved in the matter. The unnecessary comments would be nonstop.

"S-S-Sorry!"

Shinomiya released her from his hold before turning to Dojima. Watching him place his own fork down, Shinomiya could not help but sigh. Dojima had also commented the good points the dish held, but he would have none of it. "Dojima-san, I believe I have been given full discretion for this task."

"Of course." Dojima nodded. "I have no complaints with regard to the nature of the task and your evaluation criteria. However," his eyes landed on the two students standing before the door of his office, "she did try to deal with the situation at hand. Don't you think her courage might merit a certain degree of consideration?"

"No, I don't." Shinomiya quickly replied. "Not in the least."

The miko's expression softened as she heard the adults speak about her dish. As the seconds ticked by, she knew it was only leading to her final minutes here. Even being pulled into Dojima's office gave her a glimmer of hope, but she was sure it was futile to think Dojima and Hinako could save her. She gave herself a mental scoff as she stared at Souma from the corner of her eyes. Even he was confident they would keep her in Totsuki, but it did not change the fact he called Shinomiya into a Shokugeki. _'The idiot…'_

"I do!" Hinako exclaimed, raising her hand.

"Well," Dojima nodded with a smile, "it looks like we have a tie vote!"

A vein quickly popped out of Shinomiya's forehead as he heard the two. "You guys are not going to listen to me…"

"I have no choice." Dojima exhaled. "I'll oversee the unofficial Shokugeki. Think of it as a street fight. However, we cannot have it interfere with the camp schedule. Once all the afternoon tasks for the day are complete," he faced the two teens, "the two of you will face Shinomiya. Are you two up to the task?"

"Wait a minute!" Shinomiya interrupted. "I did not agree to this-!"

"Accept, Shinomiya!" Dojima's eyes narrowed with a smirk.

Watching Shinomiya glare back, Kagome's brow rose. The tension in the room increased the moment Dojima ordered Shinomiya to accept the Shokugeki. With a single command, both heard Shinomiya sigh and accept the challenge.

"Fine." Shinomiya faced the two of them. "I'll go along with Monsier Dojima's whims." As he walked towards the teens, he passed Souma's side. "Okay, Yukihira. As you said before, if _you_ win, I will rescind her expulsion, but," opening the doors to the empty hall, "if you lose, you'll get expelled right along with her."

"So there you have it." Dojima spoke. "Come to the basement of the annex afterward. Show us your will."

Kagome refused to look back having sensed the lack of mercy in Shinomiya's aura, but Souma's aura had also risen at the same time. Fingers curled into her palms; her eyes slowly lowered to the carpet of the room. This would either be their end or their continuation.

* * *

Light steps echoed in the empty hall, and the high sunlight only soothing her before the storm. Staring at the boy's in front of her, Kagome's eyes narrowed with guilt as she saw the Yukihira restaurant symbol resting on his back. He just had to go and make the whole thing worse.

"Well~, looks like we're still here by the skin of our teeth. For now, let's hang in there and make it through the afternoon session, Kagome!"

She stopped. Her expression hardened hating how there was no ounce of fear or worry in his aura. Even confidence could crumble. "Why did you get in the middle of it?"

Stopping himself, Souma looked over his shoulder to see his childhood friend sending a glare.

"You had no right to meddle, Souma-kun. If I am going to be fired, then fate was saying it was now."

Watching her shoulders slightly shake out of anger, and possibly fear, Souma sighed. This was nothing new. If anything, he was used to seeing Kagome becoming stubborn and always scolding him in the end when he did something he should not have done. People would be surprised to know the miko was more stubborn than he was. His eyes landed on her eyes; the tears still clung.

Kagome winced the moment she felt a flick on her forehead. "O-Oi!"

"Does your nose still run when you cry?" He snickered.

"Why are you asking that now?!" Ignoring his smile, Kagome's mouth opened again to scold his rash decisions only to feel his hand landing on the top of her head before giving it a light pat.

"It isn't time for you to go over something like that. Not after demonstrating independency as a chef for the first time."

Blink after blink, Kagome was not even sure when she released one of her tears. As it curved over her cheek, the miko's shoulder dropped as she sensed Souma's aura soothe her. Since when was he this nice? Shaking her head, her lips formed a pout before turning her head away. "You better have something good up your sleeve!"

Laughing, Souma gave her a thumbs up, "you are talking to the best Yukihira chef!"

"Third best."

"Eh?" He binked. "Third? To who?!"

"I'm second." She winked.

Blinking again, Souma was left to watch the miko walk past him and down the hall. Scoffing to himself with a smile, he nodded. She may be getting there.

* * *

"Eh~ so this is the meal they have to make, huh?"

"It shouldn't be too hard." Hitoshi replied as he made notes on his clipboard. Looking over his shoulder, he chuckled as he saw the meat chef circling around the display for the next fifty-meal challenge. "This year's camp couldn't have been done without your company's help."

Shrugging, the wolf youkai gave the _older_ male a smile. "Well, my company wouldn't exist if it wasn't for a certain prick of a CEO."

Hitoshi laughed, knowing exactly who he was talking about. Most head chefs were aware who had control of the food industry, and others as well. A man no one dared to go against, but apparently Totsuki's head director had a good connection with him. Continuing to mark off the list, a small command at the entrance of the storage room was heard.

Both Kouga and Hitoshi looked over to see Dojima instructing his two assistants to get the main cafeteria ready for the night trial.

"Oh~ Dojima-san." Kouga greeted. "Yo."

"Good evening to you as well." Dojima chuckled.

"Where have you been?" The wolf questioned. "Some of your assistants were looking for you."

"Well," he took a step into the storage room, "it seems others and myself were caught up in a little mix up."

Kouga's brow crooked up.

"Shinomiya is having an unofficial Shokugeki." Dojima continued. "With a student to be exact."

"A student?" Hitoshi's interest piqued as he lowered the clipboard.

Nodding, Dojima made sure it was just them in the room. "It is a secret, and I will give the details later."

"Ah! Dojima-san! This is where you are!"

Looking over his shoulder, the alumni chef blinked as he saw Gotoda and Mizuhara walking into the storage room.

"Hm, this might work out." Dojima whispered to himself. Placing his fingers under his chin, Dojima cleared his throat. "After the workshops, there will be an unofficial Shokugeki."

"Shokugeki?" Gotoda tilted his head to the side.

Dojima nodded again, "correct. Shinomiya will be having a Shokugeki against two students."

"Oh!" Gotoda's eyes brightened. "Do you need judges?" To offer themselves as judges was more to see Shinomiya at work. If he was called out on a Shokugeki, then the kids must have really crawled under his skin.

"Judging Shinomiya, huh?" Mizuhara hummed. "That should be interesting."

Looking over at Kouga, Dojima raised a brow. "Would you like to become a judge?"

He was not sure if he was _smelling_ him right, but something around Dojima's person had him on edge. A certain scent lingered around Dojima, but it was faint. Perhaps it was a common smell in this era. "Hm," Kouga thought to himself for a second, "I have a meeting over video chat with the stiff boss, but if I have time, I'll head down there." He chuckled. "Who knows, I might be able to see Shinomiya struggle."

* * *

"There are no plans to use this hotel's annex for the training camp. This is the basement kitchen you will be using; no one will interfere here!"

Hearing Dojima's words from the edge of the long counter in front of them, Kagome and Souma kept their eyes on Shinomiya who stood on the other side. Kagome was sure Souma and even Shinomiya could feel the tension, but she was feeling it ten times heavier. Even the whole walk to the basement after Dojima picked them up had been silent, which did not help her nerves ease one bit.

The door to the kitchen opened slowly before revealing the new guests. Turning their heads to the side, Kagome blinked noticing some of the alumni chefs taking their seats in front of an empty table. The miko's eyes then landed on Hinako being tied up to a chair with a sign saying, 'just a spectator'. What were the alumni doing here?

"Hm, Kouga-san didn't come?" Dojima smirked.

' _Kouga?'_ Kagome repeated in her head, looking at Dojima from the corner of her eyes. It was that name again.

"Looks like his meeting is on overtime right now." Hitoshi smiled back.

"The alumni, huh?" Souma placed his hands over his hips.

Dojima nodded as he rested his hands inside his pockets. "I asked them to serve as judges. I thought Inui might be biased on the matter, so as you can see, she doesn't count."

"We are interested in this unofficial Shokugeki, especially one with Shinomiya and a student." Gotoda chuckled. "What would Chappelle-sensei do if he found out about this?"

"Hm," Hitoshi crossed his arms, "I bet he would chew our heads off."

"Well," Mizuhara spoke, coming to squat on her chair, "if he finds out, I'm blaming it on Shinomiya."

"I heard that, Mizuhara!" Shinomiya glared.

Clearing his throat to put order in the room, Dojima spoke, "we will now do an unofficial match, two against one. Use the vegetables and other ingredients left over from sessions today to make a new dish. You can make anything you like, but try to use vegetables as the main ingredient. The time limit is two hours."

Silent and in her own thoughts, Kagome looked over at the vegetables sitting at the end of the room. A dish, huh? What was Souma thinking of making now? They were up against someone who was well known not only in Japan, but in France as well. All she could do right now was to support Souma the best she could.

"Also," Dojima interrupted her thoughts, "I have one more condition." Looking at the miko, Dojima's lips formed a smirk. "Higurashi Kagome."

Her head turned to him.

"You will be the head chef of your group."

Kagome's and Souma's eyes widened slowly as the words sunk into reality.

"You will decide the recipe on your own." Dojima continued. "Yukihira, you will be the sous chef supporting her."

"W-Wait a minute-!" Souma blinked as Dojima lifted his arm.

"Very well! Let us begin!"

Shaking his head, Souma walked towards the chef. "Dojima-senpai! Just hold on a minute! I'm the one who issued the challenge! Why?"

"I made this happen when the challenge had no leg to stand on." Dojima replied, raising a brow. "You have to accept my conditions."

"But-!"

"Yukihira!" Dojima's tone hardened. "Suppose you win with your cooking and Higurashi survives. But what does that prove? She cannot be your tagalong forever."

Kagome tensed at his words.

"She will eventually get kicked out sooner or later in another session or challenge. Will you always have to save her, Yukihira? At Totsuki, everyone must demonstrate their worth through their own skills. Whether you deserve to stay or not is up to you, yourself, to prove." Placing his hand on the counter, Dojima's eyes landed on the miko. "At this very moment, it is Higurashi's shot to prove she can remain in Totsuki. You're the chef, understood?"

Looking at the miko from over his shoulder, Souma's eyes narrowed noticing her attention having been pulled towards the vegetables. Could she take the lead just like that? None of this was predicted, and turn of events like this could easily sway her confidence.

Kagome watched Shinomiya pick his vegetables and walk to his station. So she was the chef. Slowly making her way to the ingredients, her eyes roamed all over the shelves and prepared vegetables.

"Well," Shinomiya spoke, breaking the miko's concentration, "I already know what I'm going to make. I will begin now." Looking at the girl staring back at him, he smirked. "Good luck. You will need it." As he took out a cutting board, he chuckled seeing Souma standing in the same spot. Oh how he felt for the boy. He had passed his test, and now he was on the verge of falling off the cliff because of the girl. "I feel for you, Yukihira."

Souma's eyes glided to the French cuisine chef. "Why?"

"You must be feeling despair." He scoffed. "You fate is riding on that half-wit's skills."

"Keh!" Hinako scoffed back, having escaped her ropes to join the other chefs. "Did you guys hear that?!" She gasped. "How rude he is!"

"Shinomiya has a really nasty personality." Mizuhara agreed.

"That's why your relationships never last, Shinomiya-san." Gotoda chuckled nervously.

"Outsiders are not allowed to speak!" He pointed an accusing finger. "Hinako! When did you slip out?!"

Ignoring Shinomiya's curses, Hinako placed her hands on either side of her lips. "Good luck, my beautiful Kagome-chan! You can defeat the devil!"

Finger curled into her palm as she continued to stare at the vegetables. Everything around her was muted. What could she make? What could she do? Could she even do it? How do chefs even think of recipes on the spot? Her head began to cloud with worry, and she knew it was only stopping her from thinking straight.

Souma's brows furrowed with concern over his childhood friend. He pulled them into a Shokugeki, and now the whole responsibility had been laid before her. Her silence only increased his worry for her. Taking a step forward, he called out her name. "Kagome-!"

"I doubt I need to repeat myself, Yukihira." Dojima stopped him. "You cannot alter her recipe. You are a sous chef…nothing more. Do you understand?"

Souma bit his lower lip as he looked at Dojima from over his shoulder.

"You felt Higurashi had the skill, right? If you can't trust her cooking, remove yourself from this match now."

Straightening himself, Souma exhaled. "I trust her cooking. All of you don't."

Reaching for a vegetable, Kagome cursed under her breath seeing her fingers beginning to shake. _'I'm not afraid…but my body won't move.'_

"Kagome, put your hands together."

Her hands slowly came together, but why could her body not listen to her? What was she afraid of?

"Together, Kagome."

Palm to palm, Kagome felt her entire body beginning to shake. She had faced demons, heartbreak, and death. Why was she afraid?

Dojima and the others blinked the moment Souma's hands slapped the miko's hands together. The kitchen fell silent noticing the girl's eyes having snapped open before looking up at the red head's grin.

"Oi!" She exclaimed. "W-What was that for?!"

Snickering at reaction – which he had hoped for – Souma winked. "Remember when my old man used to do that to us? It still works, huh?"

Kagome blinked back before looking down at the reddened spot on the top of her hands. Memories of Joichiro doing this to them when dealing with rush hour came back. It was a simple – and hurtful – trick that allowed their heads to come back to reality. A trick that calmed them down.

"Just cook _your_ food. You're the chef now, Kagome."

Looking back at the red head, Kagome scoffed. "So cheesy."

He snickered again.

Her eyes landed on the cauliflower. It was worth a shot, but Souma was right. If she had made it this far now, she had skill.

Skill she had to prove.

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** And a cliffhanger it is! I will be gone for a week starting on October 20th. I will be going to Japan before I start my new job (which I am nervous and excited for). Please continue to send your support for this story (and others if you have read them).

Thank you for reading, and please review!

Ja~ne!


	8. Past Hearts Care

**Title:** Sweet and Spice

 **Rating:** T (language warning)

 **DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!**

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes:** I have not updated this story since 2017 and for that, I apologize! Lots of things occurred in that time, but the inspiration for this story is still there (and I hope it continues). To be honest, I was really surprised to come back and see all the reviews that were left for the last chapter and I could never believe the high popularity of this story. Most of the motivation comes from the reviews because it helps me get these chapters done faster for all of you. So really, it is all thanks to you and I do hope you can continue to review. Now this chapter...ha...ha...I'm praying it is okay, that is all I can say.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter 07:** Past Hearts Care

* * *

Observing the girl, quiet and lost in his eyes, the alumni chef could not contain the snicker escaping his lips. Sitting comfortably in his seat waiting for his food to simmer, his attention glided to the red head who also waited to hear from his _head_ chef. "I feel for you, Yukihira." Shinomiya spoke, resting his cheek on his palm.

"Huh?" Souma's head turned to his speaker.

"You must be feeling anxious and despair with all the waiting you have to do for her." Shinomiya continued as he saw the girl's eyes shift from the available ingredients. "A shame your fate is riding on that half-wit's skills."

"Ugh, did you hear that?!" Hinako's eyes narrowed as she saw the French-cuisine chef giving the younger duo a smirk. She could not help but feel her own skin crawl with goosebumps at the lack of empathy the man contained. Leaning closer to her other alumni, she raised a brow while keeping a stink eye on the chef. "Look how rude he is."

Mizuhara nodded as she rested in a squat on her seat. "Shinomiya has a really nasty personality."

"Ma, that's why your relationships never last, Shinomiya-san." Gotoda whispered.

Turning to his ill-commenters, Shinomiya's vein throbbed on his forehead noticing their unregretful stares. "Outsiders should keep their mouths shut!" His eyes landed on the woman he thought had been tied up before pointing at her, "wait a minute! Hinako! When did you slip the ropes?!"

Shaking her head against her constraints, Hinako leaned forward to shout her spirit into the young girl. "Good luck, Kagome-chan! Kick his butt! Don't lose to that spiteful man!"

All was ignored in her head; all noises were muted. Her concentration solely on the ingredients being offered to her, and she was still unsure what she should be making. The sound of chopping, fire starting, and the simmering of food had her nerves hiked up, and it only made them worse knowing who she was up against. _'If it had been Souma-kun as the head chef, I am sure he would have already had something in mind.'_ Grabbing a few of the vegetables on the trays and inspecting their appearance, her attention seemed to land on a familiar ingredient she had come to hate since meeting the French-cuisine chef. Picking it up, she inspected it once more before turning around to face her awaiting sous chef.

"Souma-kun," she spoke, "I think I know what I want to make."

His eyes landed on the ingredient in her hands before a light chuckle escaped him. "Are you sure?"

Placing it on their counterspace, Kagome scanned her opponent from the corner of her eyes, "more like I want to use it against him, and," taking a hold of a chef's knife, she gave Shinomiya a smirk of her own, "show him I know what I am doing."

Nodding to her courage, Souma could not help but smirk at the fire in her eyes. Most people did underestimate her, but growing up with her, he learned it was a mistake to do so. She was never one to back out, especially if they were insulting her ability. Untying the white headband from his wrist, he began to place it on his forehead and turning to the ingredients before them. He would give it his all to crush the Totsuki alumni and support Kagome's dish.

* * *

"A Shokugeki with an alumnus?!" Yoshino shouted.

Megumi nodded as she sat in Marui's room with the others who waited for a clearer explanation. The Shokugeki was to be kept as secret as possible and sharing the news in the lobby would have been problematic for them and the staff alone. She sighed, looking down at her lap as she heard Yoshino grunt Souma's name and blame him for an eternity.

"But why!?" Yoshino grasped the sides of her head. "How did that even happen?!"

"Kagome-chan was about to get expelled," Megumi gulped remembering the acceptance of the expulsion Kagome agreed to, "but then Souma-kun…"

"Eh!?" They all shouted in unison. "Expelled?!"

Megumi's eyes narrowed with concern as she saw Yoshino shaking her head at the thought of their two new friends getting expelled. As Sakaki consoled her worries, Megumi's looked at the boys of their dorm also looking at each other with constant thoughts how this whole ordeal could go. There was no telling how this cooking challenge would go, but if Souma was involved to help Kagome she was sure they would come out it.

Unless another challenge came about.

* * *

Observing in silence, along with the other alumni, Shinomiya tapped his fingers on the counter as he waited for the last minutes of his dish to simmer. Eyes narrowed cautiously at the synchronization of their slicing, and the fast pace of their continuous change in tasks. The others were awed by the smooth flow of cooking both students displayed, but the transition of passing the ready ingredients to each other and the silent communication was something they did not see every day. For students and professional chefs to have that sort of flow it was a practice, and a continuous one.

"Shinomiya-senpai!"

A heavy sigh blew past his lips as he heard Hinako's voice. "What?"

Leaning down to the side of Shinomiya's head, Hinako chuckled as she whispered into his ear. "Amazing how Kagome-chan didn't seem fazed by you, that would be a first."

The anger throbbed on his forehead as he heard loud and clear. Turning his head around, he pointed at Gotoda to pull her back into her restraints. "Put her somewhere far away!" Her cries were ignored; her words echoed in his head. It was true, as much as he hated to admit it. Eyes landing back on Kagome's and Souma's calmness, he had to admit, they were unfazed. Did they not weigh the consequences to this Shokugeki? Did they not realize who they were going up against? Attention lowered to the ingredients on the counter and the big bowls of colored…water? What was she doing with that?

Watching Souma pass a bowl of cut cauliflower, Shinomiya's brow rose as the girl grabbed the bowl without giving him a glance and her hands already prepping the cauliflower with a few spices she had laid out. Both delivered ingredients and cooking without a pause, and neither of them broke their own concentration.

"What is going on?" Mizuhara whispered, watching the duo cook without faltering in their tasks.

"Hm," Gotoda hummed as he watched Souma prepare cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, "he isn't overstepping her, but he is fast."

"He is keeping an eye on her at all times." Hitoshi added as he observed the way Souma took care of the girl. "He doesn't really need to as she is doing just fine, and seems confident in her skill, but there is a small gap of skill between them. Do we have their files?" As Mizuhara gave him the student files from the counter in front of them, Gotoda and Hinako looked over his shoulder to see their pictures and the information of their transfer. "Yukihira Souma and Higurashi Kagome; they are the only transfers this year?"

"It looks like his family runs a diner." Gotoda read. "That maybe the answer to where he got his training."

Hitoshi nodded, eyes coming back to see him working. "Even so, I find it hard to believe he gained that much skill from home. His skill clearly surpasses that of any student."

"What about Kagome-chan?" Hinako questioned.

The alumni went back to reading her file only to see there was no experience in cooking. She had literally transferred from a normal middle school and nothing more. "That is certainly shocking…". Hitoshi's brow crooked up as he and the others observed Kagome once more. She knew what she was doing, from he looks of it, but where had her experience come from? "She had to get training from somewhere, especially if she was able to get into Totsuki."

Smirking at their conversation, Dojima nodded as he saw the time on his watch close to their end. "Both contestants, begin to finish up your dishes!"

Bringing out the plates to the counter, Souma watched as Kagome brought up the final piece of her dish. "Let's finish up!"

"Got it!" Souma nodded with a smile.

* * *

"Turns out I have to stay another two days here, at least."

Hearing the low growl on the other line, a mental sigh was given in return. "I was asked by Dojima-san to stay for tomorrow's _test_." Stopping in his steps, the youkai looked around the forest outside of the main hotel. "It is the least I can do, you know that."

He sighed, hearing the words from the other.

"Hai, hai." He nodded, relaxing in his stance as he made mental notes of what was being said – or more like told. Making money in this world was tougher than it was in the past, and he hated how over the years it only made the stress increase. "I'll make it to the meeting, don't worry." Bringing the phone down to hang up, his brow twitched. "That taiyoukai never got that stick out of his ass." For once he wished he could clear out his schedule, but to have strong connections with other corporations, and now schools, they had to keep up with these meetings. "Hate it." He exhaled loudly as he looked at the path ahead.

Dojima seriously owed him.

* * *

Taking a step forward, Dojima made his presence known once more as he shouted the end of the Shokugeki. "We will now begin the judging." Waiting for the other alumni to take their seats behind their table, Dojima's attention landed on Shinomiya with his dishes covered by silver domes. "Alright, Shinomiya's dish comes first. You may now serve the dish."

With a confident smirk, the vegetable magician made his way forward with two dishes on each hand while the third was balanced on his forearm. Kagome's eyes were glued with curiosity on the dish that he could have prepared for the judges, but it would also determine if he even saw her as a challenge depending on what he created. Never in a million years did she think she would be going head-to-head with a world known chef. Just a few months ago she had come back from battling demons and now she was picking a fight with this man.

A sweat drop loomed over her head, _'I should really watch my mouth sometimes…'._ Her eyes glided to the silent red head standing beside her. _'Then again, he has a bigger fault right here.'_

"I can't help but feel anticipation!" Gotoda chuckled as the plate was placed in front of him.

Nodding to the same anticipation Gotoda felt, Hitoshi waited as Shinomiya finally took off the silver dome covering their plates. Eyes blinked simultaneously at the sight before them. The simple, yet elegant, plating before them of a cabbage roll with what looked to be a sauce made of other vegetables and spices carefully and beautifully plated around it took them by surprise.

" _Chou farci!_ " Gotoda explained, amazed by the presentation and the smells radiating from the simple dish. "This is unexpected, Shinomiya."

"It's regional cooking from the Auvergne region." Hitoshi added. "It's a dish where a filling of finely chopped meat and vegetables are wrapped in cabbage leaves, then steamed. It's similar to a cabbage roll in Western cuisine."

Grabbing her fork, Mizuhara's brow rose, "it's also a dish often made in French homes, if I am not mistaken."

Sighing heavily at the sight of the dish, Hinako shook her head. "I'm really taken back, Shinomiya-senpai. Don't you only make fancy dishes-ugh!" Head dropping from the sudden weight of Shinomiya's palm, fingers twitched from the pain as she heard him walking back to the front of the table. "H-Hold on a minute! W-Where is my share?"

"Didn't make you any." He glared. "Have Mizuhara share some of hers."

Silently watching from the sidelines, Kagome and Souma observed the expressions of the judges as they cut into the cabbage roll. The aromas instantly took them into a high. Gotoda was the first to express his pleasure to the aromas by closing his eyes and enjoying the waves of scents being pulled out of the inside. "The aroma of herbs whets the appetite!"

Mizuhara took the first bite, small, but enough of everything. Her eyes widened at the sudden explosion of flavors in her mouth, making her skin tingle. As the other judges took their bites, each and every one of them were awed by the smooth texture of the flavors, but how graceful they complimented each other.

"Meraviglioso!" Gotoda exclaimed as his cheeks reddened from the satisfying taste.

Puzzled over the flavors, Hitoshi divided the cabbage roll with his knife to look at the ingredients. "T-This stuffing is different from the typical pork and onion stuffing used in _chou farci_! It's…it's a farce of jidori chicken breast meat!"

"Ah," Gotoda nodded, remembering having seen Shinomiya slice a few chicken breasts, "he butterflied the chicken breasts which he later stuffed with morels, asparagus, and foie gras sautéed in beef fat, along with a smooth mousse-like paste made from chicken breast meat, butter, eggs, and heavy cream. So that is when the _chou farci_ was then steamed."

The miko's brow twitched as she watched them explain all the ingredients that had been used in the one cabbage roll. They did not even have to ask Shinomiya about what he used. The alumni were able to capture almost everything just by taste! It began to worry her; her palms became hot, yet she felt her fingers go numb. Would her dish be okay?

"Hmm…and the most fearsome ingredient of all," Dojima spoke as he grabbed a piece from Hitoshi's dish, "is the cabbage that envelopes the filling. The _Savoy_ cabbage…in _Japanese_ it's called the _crepe_ cabbage. It has a strong grassy smell when raw, but develops a delicate sweet flavor once cooked." He smirked, taking the bite only to be more amazed at the steps Shinomiya took to bring the dish's strong yet smooth flavors. _'It's as if he cast a spell over the whole dish. He immediately went alone to France once he graduated, then opened a restaurant in Paris after several years of training and became an owner-chef. While there is a preponderance of met dishes in French cuisine, Shinomiya shone a fresh spotlight on legumes, or vegetables, shocking gourmands throughout the nation. Eventually, the chef from Japan gained the respect of the residents of the city of gourmet and was honored by the name, "The Magician of Legumes".'_

Chewing into the piece she had stolen from Mizuhara, Hinako's cheeks puffed with warmth. _'I hate to admit it, but it's delicious!'_

"Amazing," Gotoda whispered, "he took a common regional dish and reinterpreted it with his sharpened senses and elevated to a dish that could be served at a high-end restaurant."

Hinako and the others sighed in peace as they felt their souls warm up after the meal. Placing her hands over her heart, Hinako closed her eyes contently. "That was fantastic!"

"Well done, Shinomiya-san!" Gotoda nodded. "It is no wonder that you are known as the Magician of Legumes!"

A readied smirk appeared over Shinomiya's lips as he took off his glasses for a clean. Eyes still on the judges, he was pleased to see the joy on their faces - a joy he expected. "So, how did that taste, Mizuhara?" He raised a brow.

Wiping the corner of her lips, Mizuhara looked ahead, refusing to make eye contact with her past classmate. "It was perfect," she nodded, "once I wiped all my memories of you."

"Oh?" Shinomiya's brow twitched. "How unfortunate for you."

Chuckling at their interactions, Dojima set his fork down on the clean plate before turning around to speak. "Still, I wasn't expecting this, Shinomiya. I thought I'd be able to taste the specialty of your restaurant, Shino."

Shinomiya, putting his glasses back on, turned to face his alumni with a smirk. "That's a joke in poor taste, Dojima-san. My opponent's only a student. Would I be so cruel as to serve my signature dish?"

' _You would…'._ All the alumni agreed mentally.

Understanding his logic, Dojima nodded as he kept his eyes on Shinomiya. _'An up-and coming chef who has opened a restaurant in a prime location in Paris, the battleground of gourmet food…he believes he can't possibly lose to a student, an arrogance that may well be justified.'_ But something was missing. Something that not a lot of people could tell if they tried his food. Eyes landing on the waiting duo behind him, he gave the girl a smile, making her jolt in place. "All right. Higurashi, Yukihira, it is time for you two to serve your dish."

Kagome and Souma nodded back; the miko's eyes landed down at the plates before her with the meal she had prepared. Nothing compared to Shinomiya's; nothing fancy. It was a meal, but there was a lot at stake on this Shokugeki, and she could only hope for a miracle to occur once the plates were placed before the judges.

Her eyes immediately closed at the feel of the sting on the back of her head. Looking over her shoulder, her view narrowed on the red head holding one of her plates. "O-Oi…"

"Let's go." His smiled stretched.

Smile mimicked on her own lips, Kagome gave him a nod. If there was something she knew about the way he comforted others, it was through small talk and flicks. She chuckled under her breath as she grabbed the two plates on the counter before turning around to face the waiting judges. Was everything she had on this dish? Perhaps, but that did not mean it was her max. Thought after thought washed a shore in her head, only adding more worry in her quivering heart, but she knew she had to do it.

She had to show what she could do.

As both Kagome and Souma placed the dishes before the judges, all of them were taken back. They blinked a few times to take in the sight of the tri-color rice: lavender, light orange, and green. A few cherry tomatoes and other ingredients were mixed in with the rice, but the simple plating is what had them awed. A crystal soul bowl at a decent dinner size presented the light-yellow rice at the bottom followed by green and then purple. It was too simple, but there was something off about it.

"Rice?" Mizuhara questioned.

"Not exactly." Kagome replied understanding their confusion. "It's…cauliflower. It's a tri-colored 'rice'."

Eyes immediately dropped the dish before being brought back to the eyes of the girl.

"A _Tabbouleh,_ huh? This is a common Mediterranean dish, but you decided to use cauliflower?" Mizuhara spoke again. "Isn't that the reason you are here…?"

With a sweat drop looming over her head, Kagome had to agree.

"Hmm…but this is different colors." Hitoshi commented, still awed by the three colors. "Are they different flavors?"

"How interesting." Shinomiya stepped in, scoffing at the sight of the dull dish. "Cauliflower? Are you trying to spark a fire using the very thing that got you here?"

"Not at all." Kagome's face melted in worry yet defensive. "I am using something in my own way." Then again, maybe it did look like she was picking a fight with Shinomiya, but it was not like she could have made anything else. The dish before them was something she remembered doing for fun as a kid with her mother and father, but of course, she had to mix it up and bit or she would have just given them the cauliflower as rice and nothing else.

"Ma, ma," Gotoda tried to quell the tension radiating between the two, "let's see how it turned out for starters." It was shocking to find Shinomiya annoyed by two students. If anything, it had everyone wondering if Shinomiya actually saw something in them to even give them this much attention.

The light clanks of their spoons being picked up and scooping up a bit of the meal echoed; Kagome and Souma waited with focus glued on their movements and expressions. As the three judges took their first bite at the same time, Kagome gulped. She was confident, but fear still rung within.

But what did she fear?

"This…," Gotoda's eyes opened to look at the dish once more, "is delicious!"

"Indeed!" Hitoshi agreed as he took another bite.

Having stolen a spoon from the side and scooped a bit for herself, Hinako was thrilled to taste the dish. The warm and inviting bite set her soul at ease.

Shoulders dropped from their heavy await, and Kagome' eyes remained glued on their joyous expressions.

"If one did not take a bite, one would believe this was rice." Hitoshi nodded, as he took another scoop of the dish. "I can taste the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes and the fresh taste of cucumbers gives it a lot of flavor, but it isn't heavy."

"Not to mention the colors!" Gotoda exclaimed. "Oh!" His eyes met Kagome's before his smile stretched. "You dyed the cauliflower?"

"Uh, yeah." She nodded with a smile. "It's something my father and mother taught me when I was younger." Scratching the back of her head, she was not sure how to present to them she had been a little picky eater with cauliflower, but when her father and mother showed her how to dye cauliflower, it became fun.

"What did you use to dye it?" Mizuhara asked, intrigued by the trick.

Taking out her fingers to count, Kagome brought one finger each time as her eyes went up in thought. "Hmm, I used turmeric and onion scraps for the orange, spinach for green, and beetroot leaves."

"I'm impressed." Mizuhara had to nod at her quick thinking to use other foods to dye the one ingredient. Not to mention, they soaked up the flavors of each used ingredient and were balanced in the end. Nothing overpowered the other, but the hidden spices still lost her. She felt…too at ease. Her eyes came up once more to meet the miko's, making her jump again from the sudden eye contact. It was a refreshing taste rather than a heavy one.

"Ah~," Hinako sighed as she stole another bite, "this dish is full of Kagome-chan's heart."

Gotoda chuckled under his breath, having to agree with Hinako's statement. "If Shinomiya-san is the Magician of Legumes, Kagome-chan would be someone that subtly is looking after us and providing us with nature's bounty. She is like a Koro-pok-guru of Legumes!"

"No!" Hinako shook her head as she made an 'X' with her arms. "That's wrong! Kagome-chan brings happiness and she brings it to everyone! She is the Household God of Legumes!"

"Perhaps," Hitoshi added, "but she is someone who could be the reincarnation of _Uke Mochi!_ "

Another twitch to her brow was felt by Kagome as she heard the comments and arguments going back and forth between the judges. _'Perhaps not the reincarnation of her…but why are they connecting me to folktales?'_

"No!" Shouted Hinako once again. "I don't think that fits!"

"Well the Koro-pok-guru should be fine!" Gotoda added.

"She is definitely a Household God!"

Put in the middle of the bickering, Mizuhara exhaled. "Wait, why are all of them of the yokai variety?"

' _Seriously…'._ Kagome closed her eyes, trying to find the reasoning behind their bickering. Then again, hearing them say they were enjoying her dish really calmed her nerves. Her eyes landed on the dishes she had made and having alumni of a well-known culinary school try it. It almost made her want to laugh at her own life. The thought of her coming from battling demons to cooking like this was now a laugh only she could enjoy, but that was not to say she did not enjoy it. Cooking was something that she enjoyed when she was little and when her family and Souma's family taught her, but of course the past was a blur at times. But at least she remembered some of the good times.

Hearing a low sigh beside him, Souma peeked at the girl from the corner of his eyes. He blinked to the sight of a tear clinging at the corner of her eyes before she closed them to stop them. Stopping himself from chuckling, he had to admit he was impressed by Kagome's quick thinking. She was not the old little girl who feared trying new recipes and took minutes to think of something to make on the spot. For her, this was probably the biggest accomplishment.

"All right then," Dojima took a step forward, "let's begin the judging." Taking out foreign coin for each judge, he then placed one plate in front of Kagome and one in front of Shinomiya before giving out the instructions. "The coin represents one vote. Each of the three judges have one coin; they will pick between Shinomiya or Higurashi-kun."

Kagome's eyes lowered to the counter to see the empty plate before looking across from her. Shinomiya held his confident smirk, and although her hopes were high, she had to remind herself she was going against someone who held the first seat in the Elite Ten.

"Cast your vote for the dish that you felt tasted the best." Dojima continued, seeing the judges ready with their coins in hand.

"Well, I'll start." Mizuhara spoke, taking the first step forward.

The room was covered in echoes of Mizuhara's steps and the kitchen's solitude. All eyes were on Mizuhara as she stood before the counter and looked at both plates. Feeling her stomach twist, Kagome tried to feint a courageous front. Holding onto her oxygen, Kagome's eyes narrowed as she saw the first coin land.

"One point for Shinomiya." Dojima spoke.

Mizuhara took a small glance of the girl to give her an apologetic look but was unable to do so as she saw Kagome's own view drop before her own eyes closed.

Hearing Mizuhara walk away, Kagome prayed for that miracle she needed. She was not sure what she had expected with Mizuhara. Maybe she had hoped for the first point, but she knew Shinomiya had the upper hand. He had the experience.

But…she wanted to stay. She just needed a miracle.

Any miracle.

* * *

Taking one step at a time down the stairs leading to the basement kitchens, exhaustion blew between the youkai's lips as he saw the dark hall leading to the one open door with light brimming out of it. Dojima was seriously doing some rule breaking if he was holding an unofficial Shokugeki after hours. Not to mention it was with an alumnus like Shinomiya and a student. Scratching the back of his head, Kouga closed his eyes as he remembered his boss's words. He was definitely going to be hearing a lecture the next time he saw him for missing both the video conference and now he had to book it to make it to the actual meeting in two days.

Putting both hands inside his pockets, Kouga was only a few steps away from the door frame but a sudden scent hit his hidden memory. Eyes snapped open before they narrowed. Was it in his head? The scent was all too familiar, yet there was doubt. Head rising, Kouga's mind clouded with uncertainty. Was he imagining it?

' _This scent…'_ He took a step towards the open door before the light consumed his sight. Eyes cringed before they adjusted to their surroundings and slowly pupils dilated at the sight before him. The scent, her hair, her…tears…all too familiar. Lips parted to speak her name, but as soon as he took a step forward, he heard Shinomiya's voice.

"My condolences." Shinomiya scoffed as the corner of his lips curved upwards.

"The gap between your and Shinomiya's abilities was obvious." Dojima spoke, eyes on Shinomiya's plate: three coins. "Shinomiya won by a landslide."

Vision blurred by her tears clinging at the corner of her eyes, Kagome continued to stare at her empty plate. She gave no movement, no words, no blink.

"Kagome…," Souma whispered, taking off his headband, "I'm sorry. I…couldn't help you. "

The miko remained still, and all reason to her silence and shock was not for herself, but the risk there was to in losing. Her head slowly shook as she closed her eyes once again hearing the forced smile on his face.

"But you can stand up straight and proud." He chuckled under his breath. "You gave it your all, and you made a really good dish."

Kagome bit her lower lip as she heard him tie his headband around his wrist. No. No. No. This was not how it was supposed to go. This was not how Souma's path had to end. All through her cooking against Shinomiya she was thinking on getting him back for looking down at her she slightly forgot on the heaviness of the Shokugeki.

The real consequence.

Shoulders shook as she gave it her all to hold back the guilt she held; her head hung in shame. What could she do now? She wanted nothing more than to yell at him for his arrogance, but she had to bite her tongue. This was not a place where she could give them a lecture, especially when Souma's attendance in Totsuki was also being risked.

"Well," Shinomiya sighed, smile still glued to his lips, "no need to be so down about it. It was inevitable. Anyway, I have an early start tomorrow, so excuse me. Have a good night-". Turning around, Shinomiya stopped in his steps. "What…" Eyes narrowed; the adults and Souma followed his line of sight to the black-haired male wearing dark brown pants and a black button up shirt making his way towards the counter. "Oi," Shinomiya called, "what are you-?"

The room fell silent as a coin landed on Kagome's plate.

The miko's eyes fluttered open in response to the clank and noticed the one coin on her plate.

Turning around to face the newcomer, Shinomiya's glare hardened. "What do you think you're doing, _Kouga_?"

The name…the voice…Kagome's head snapped up only to follow with her eyes widening as she stared at the male's ponytail, tan skin, and smirk being sent to her opponent. Was that…?

"Oh, Kouga-senpai." Souma blinked, taken back by his appearance.

"Kouga, the judging is over." Shinomiya spoke. "There are no other outcomes to this." If Kouga was trying to escalate the issue, then so be it, but he had done his part, fair and square.

"Actually," Dojima intervened, "I asked him to."

"I'm just a little late." Kouga snickered, holding his hand up with his thumb and index finger showing a small gap in between. "I thought I would have made it to my video conference, but then I remembered this Shokugeki occurred at the same time, so~ I decided to come here."

Dojima's brow crooked up, "yet you're still late."

"Ma, ma!" He waved his hand up and down, "I had to call _him_ to apologize, and you know that isn't easy to do. Besides, it is a good thing the others here could fill in the seats for judging, right?"

"Oh! Kouga-san!" Hinako jumped out of her restraints – much to the surprise of everyone else – before making her way to the new judge. Holding out her palm towards Kouga, she flashed him a smile. "Nee, nee, Kouga-san, can I have a coin, too? Shinomiya-senpai here thought it was not fair for me to vote."

Shinomiya's nerve was struck once again the moment Hinako stuck out her tongue at him. "Oi…".

Taking out a coin from his pants' pocket, Kouga placed it on Hinako's palm. "Of course you can, Hinako-chan! You go vote!"

Slapping his hand on the counter, Shinomiya gained everyone's attention, stopping Hinako from placing her coin on Kagome's dish. "This is absurd! Kouga, you have no right to meddle with the results of this, and even if you could, you have not tried the girl's dish nor mine to compare." He scoffed under his breath as he straightened out his posture, "you think you have a right to say something in this Shokugeki?"

"No." Kouga blinked. "Just really want to piss you off."

Another twitch to his brow.

"But," Kouga continued, as his eyes landed on the shocked girl standing beside him, "I judge character, and I can tell when a person puts their heart into something." A smile was sent her way, which only made her pupils dilate with shock. No doubt in his mind she was in a storm of confusion, but just like him, she was holding back everything. Holding back five hundred years' worth of lost connection. "Also," his head immediately turned to the chef as he pointed a finger at him, "I don't like men who make girls cry."

"I didn't make her cry!" Shinomiya shouted. Ready to object to his logic, Shinomiya stopped the moment he saw Kagome's dish being pushed to him. Following the arm at fault, Shinomiya's eyes narrowed tightly. "What is the meaning of this, Dojima-san? I believe the outcome has been decided."

Before Dojima answered, the sound of another coin on Kagome's plate run in everyone's ears. "I simple wished to acknowledge this dish and cast my own vote as well."

"I hate repeating myself," Shinomiya's tone darkened with annoyance, "but once again, you are not even one of the judges. What are you and Kouga trying to pull? And what do you mean you're acknowledging that dish?"

"Really?" Dojima scoffed with a smirk before throwing a coin towards Shinomiya's way. "The dish Higurashi-kun made…that is where the answer to your question can be found."

Catching the coin in his hand, he heard Dojima's next words.

"You're stagnating right now, aren't you?"

Shinomiya's eyes widened; heads turned to the chef. The past memories of his first years in France sprouted up. The countless times his own staff stabbed him in the back to change his recipes and the moment his restaurant was shattering. That was the moment he decided even his own staff were his enemies and trusting only yourself is the belief to live by in the kitchen. This set of thinking made him rise to the top, and he was not going to change it.

"You must have realized it yourself." Dojima continued, taking Shinomiya's silence as a 'yes'. "Now that you've earned the Pluspol award, you have lost sight of your path moving forward. You're at a standstill at the pinnacle, and don't know where to go. For us, stagnation is akin to regression. The reason you didn't cook your specialty in this match is because you didn't want us to find out that your cooking has hit a wall."

"Shut up!"

The room fell into a deeper and shocked silence the moment Shinomiya opened his mouth to stop Dojima from saying any more.

"What would you know about any of this?!" He exclaimed, taking a step back. "You're a hired chef for the Totsuki Group! You know nothing!"

"Then try it."

Shinomiya's eyes dropped back to the plate Dojima presented him with.

"Try Higurashi-kun's dish."

"Hmph," he smirked, "why would I do that?"

"I said try it."

Eyes glued on the simple cauliflower tabbouleh dish, Shinomiya's brows furrowed, hesitant to grab the spoon next to the plate. Slowly grabbing the silver utensil, he scooped only an inch of the dish before coming to taste the girl's food. Immediately after savoring it, he chuckled. "Seriously, this needs some work. The plating and the flavors are subpar. To think Dojima-san, Kouga, and the others have lost their touch to give you such high praise." Eyes narrowed as he tasted it again before he slammed both of his hands on the counter. _'And yet…why is it that the dish speaks to the heart so much? There are many flaws to this, but each detail speaks to the chef's care for the customer. It is as though the dish unravels your tightly wound heart.'_ The taste brought him back to the simple days in the country side where he lived with his mother. The days where he would get into fights with the neighbor kids and scolds from his mother, but in the end, his mother understood him and his dreams. Her soft touch to calm him down missed for years. _'This taste is like…a parent's love.'_

Slowly letting the coin drop on Kagome's plate, everyone waited in silence to hear from him. Kagome's mind flickered back and forth to worrying about the Shokugeki and Souma to the fact Kouga was present in her time. What was she supposed to say?

"Hey, halfwit."

Kagome jumped in her spot after hearing Shinomiya's voice before her eyes narrowed, annoyed at the nickname. Halfwit?

"The spice you used in the dish…it's ginger and mint, right?" He questioned.

"That's right." Kagome nodded.

"I guess she used it to add freshness to the dish." Mizuhara spoke, remembering having tasted the mint, but the ginger as mild. "Mint has a cooling effect."

"But that isn't the only reason, is it?" Shinomiya's eyes narrowed on the miko.

Looking at the miko from the corner of his eyes, Kouga waited for her response. Who would have thought to have a reunion in the middle of a Shokugeki of all possible events? To also think the legendary miko that saved their lands in the feudal era was attending Totsuki.

Kagome scratched her cheek as she thought to the reason why she chose to use both mint and ginger. "Well, all of you have been eating different types of food since you are our instructors, and you all have been doing it since yesterday. That's why I added in mint and ginger to help with inflammation and digestion. That is also why I decided to go for a lighter dish, but something that still helps to make the person feel full."

"I knew it! Kagome-chan is a great person!" Hinako's tears gushed out as she felt Kagome's care in her words.

"Yes, it seems we have a good eye for people." Gotoda sniffed.

"You just like her type…" Mizuhara sighed.

"See~," Kouga's lips curved into a grin, "she knows what she is doing!"

"Pft," Shinomiya shook his head, "you don't even know her, Kouga."

Giving each other a second glance, Kagome and Kouga sweat dropped at the statement.

Coming forward, Dojima turned to Shinomiya with a smile of his own. "It may be clumsy, but the dish speaks to you. That's the kind of dish it is. Even in a competition, Higurashi-kun tried to be considerate toward the people who will be eating her dish. That may be something you need in order to find a way to proceed beyond the pinnacle."

Scoffing in reply, Shinomiya gave his back to the others. So this Shokugeki was Dojima's plan since the beginning. _'I see…this whole time I've been turning a blind eye to my customers and my staff and cooking by myself.'_

"There!" Hinako shouted, placing the coin on Kagome's plate. "There! Now Kagome-chan has won! Looks like I took charge of this match!"

"Hm, if that is the case, then that means Higurashi-kun has won and means the expulsion is taken back." Dojima nodded as he looked at Kouga with a smirk of his own.

Shinomiya sighed under his breath, knowing he was not going to win this even verbally. "Whatever. This has all been very irregular." Turning his glare to the miko, who simply stood with a blank face of her own, he chuckled. This girl was not the least bit intimidated by him. "Well, do you best to survive as long as you can, day by day. I guess people like you have their own ways." And perhaps that courage of hers would help to also deal with future cooking obstacles. Eyes moving from the girl to the red head, he took note of his own skills that he had observed. _'Yukihira Souma, huh.'_ As he took a step to leave, he was stopped by Kouga placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Boo, don't be such a poor sport, Shinomiya." Kouga's tongue stuck out as he crossed his arms. Watching Shinomiya exit the kitchen, he could not help but chuckle. That man really needed someone to get under his skin and it turned out to be _her._ His eyes landed back on the silent miko who was looking at the now empty door frame. Placing his hands on his hips, he gave her a wink. "Congrats! You have accomplished a task not many can: annoying Shinomiya!"

Kagome blinked, realizing it was Kouga who was speaking.

"But if you ever need rescuing from him, give me a call, okay?" He winked again.

The miko's lips parted to speak, but her voice would not find the volume she needed. This was not a dream, was it? He was really here?

"Kouga-senpai!" Souma called out with a smile of his own. "Good to see you again!"

"Oh! Onsen guy!" Kouga turned to face him. "Um, what was your name again?"

His grin stretched, "Yukihira Souma!"

Watching Kouga and Souma talk to each other had Kagome lost in her mind. Did they know each other? _'Onsen…?'_ She questioned herself. What onsen? And when? Whatever the case was, too much was happening at once, and the win itself was not registering.

"Higurashi-kun."

Turning to the call of her name, Kagome blinked to see Dojima giving her a smile.

"Your cooking reflects your stance toward providing a warm welcome to your guests – your hospitality and your emotions! Continue to hone that valuable edge you have here at Totsuki. Consider these four coins to be an investment towards your future."

"Well," Souma cut in, coming forward to place a hand on Kagome's shoulder, "guess we made it out alive. Congrats, Kagome!"

It hit.

She won.

Her eyes landed on the man standing behind them as he spoke with the other alumni; shoulders dropped as she saw the familiar youkai existing in her time.

She had won, but she wanted nothing more than to talk to him and thank him.

In the past and in the present, her feudal friends still came to save her.

* * *

"So Shinomiya hit a wall because of his keen talent." Hitoshi spoke, eyes on the dish he created for them. With the kitchen now vacant and only leaving him, Dojima, and Kouga, the three were quite curious how this Shokugeki would take them to the next level.

Dojima nodded, "he was focused on getting to the top, that he cast off everything he felt was extraneous. He reached the top before he matured as an owner-chef. But in order for chefs to aim for the top, it is imperative that they possess a hunger to absorb everything from anything. You saw that in her, too," his eyes landed on the late comer, "Kouga-san?"

Moving his fork around Shinomiya's dish, Kouga nodded with a smirk. "Well, he needed it. Shinomiya will regain that hunger he used to have, but those two, especially that girl," he chuckled, "is not one to stay on the same level the next day." Nitpicking on the dish, he sighed loudly. "I am all about creating dishes that will awe the audience, but I will never understand that vegetable chef and not using meat."

"He did." Hitoshi blinked. "He used chicken."

"Not even a good amount, though!" He scoffed. Like he could survive the day with just plants. He was a carnivore, for Kami's sake.

* * *

Exiting the building, Souma blinked as he came to face the darkness of the forest surrounding them. Had the day passed by that quick? Hands in his pockets, he turned his head over his shoulder to see Kagome slowly taking her time to leave the building. His brow rose, questioning her silence. She had won against Shinomiya, and usually she was never quiet about it, but something had silenced her.

Or more like confused her.

"You alright there, slowpoke?" He snickered.

Pulled out of her thoughts, Kagome blinked up to see Souma waiting for her. "Oh, yeah…just trying to process everything that just happened." It was still a cluster in her head, but one thing was for sure, Kouga had appeared. He saved her _and_ Souma from getting expelled, but was that something she should be proud of?

"Kagome?" Souma softly called out again.

She turned to him, a smile decorating her lips. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go back. I'm sure everyone is worried about us."

"Oh, you right." Taking out his cell phone, Souma's eyes widened the moment he turned the screen on and saw the accumulated missed calls and texts from their friends. Looking at the miko, he snickered as he saw the same shock on her face. "Guess we have been worrying them."

"Yeah…" Kagome nodded as she scrolled down the numerous texts – mostly from Yoshino. Sighing under her breath, she put her phone back in the pocket of her chef pants. "Let's go."

"Oi."

Looking over their shoulders, both Kagome and Souma blinked and stopped the moment they saw a third person walking out of the shadows of the buildings to meet them under the moonlight. Kagome's eyes widened once more as she saw the toothy grin and wave the youkai wolf gave them.

"Oh! Kouga-senpai!" Souma saluted him. "Yo!"

"Yo!" Kouga replied with a nod. "Both of you retiring for the night?"

Kagome nodded slowly.

"Good. Both of you need to get some rest for tomorrow. This camp, seriously." He shook his head knowing well how Totsuki liked to give hell to their students, but they knew what kind of training they needed for the real world. "Sorry for not being able to talk to you two after that, but Dojima and the others had to talk about a few things after Shinomiya left."

"No problem." Souma grinned as he swiped his index finger under his nose. "You saved our butts there, Kouga-senpai!"

' _Senpai?'_ Kagome blinked, realizing Souma was talking to Kouga on friendly terms. _'Do they really know each other?'_

Kouga shrugged with a smirk, "to be honest, I did it to annoy Shinomiya." He laughed, remembering how he had given up at the end and gave Kagome the win. "He sometimes needs to learn to loosen up and just learn there is always room for growth. Isn't that right," his eyes landed on the miko, "miss?"

With his question directed to her, Kagome blinked before giving him a nod herself.

"Besides," Kouga continued, "I have a lot of faith in the young generation. The older generations can be pricks sometimes to the young."

"Aren't you part of the older generation?"

The two males blinked having noticed it was Kagome who gave out the question.

Sweat drop on the side of her head, Kagome gave out a sheepish laugh realizing she had slipped the question out loud. "I mean…well…"

"She's right." Souma nodded, as he pointed at her with his thumb. "How old are you-oomf!"

Retreating her elbow from Souma's gut, Kagome gave Kouga a nervous smile. That question was going to open too many doors that even both of them were not prepared to answer. "Souma-kun, we should probably get back to the others. Who knows if they will start looking for us outside the hotel."

"R-Right…". He grumbled. "You go on ahead, I have to make a call."

Kagome blinked, as she saw him get support by placing his hand on the wall near the door. "You sure?" She asked.

He nodded.

"I'll walk you back." Kouga spoke. "I am heading there myself."

Kagome's eyes met his before looking back at Souma's smile. Giving her childhood friend a nod, she turned around and walked beside the youkai.

Watching them take their time to disappear into the shadows of the forest leading to the resort, Souma waited.

Waited.

Out of sight, Souma's fist roughly met the concrete wall beside him. Gritting his teeth together, Souma held the fumes of his anger as the Shokugeki replayed in his mind. Throughout the whole event he was positive they would win. He wanted to come out victorious, but ultimately, they had lost.

"Dammit…"

He had lost.

* * *

Silent, but comfortable.

The soft ruffles of the branches against the wind set their walk down memory lane. There was no need for words, but the presence of each other was enough to let reality set in. Walking along side each other was something neither of them pictured in the five hundred years wait, but if this was what fate had in store, then they would not question it for now.

Stopping in his steps, Kouga turned around to face the miko who stopped a second after him. A grin stretched his lips as he looked around his surroundings and let his senses catch for any other sign of life. "Yosh, looks like we are far enough to talk alone." His eyes landed on her once more to see her blue hues glued on him. "So? How is my woman doing after five hundred years?"

Her pupils dilated; tears slowly sprouted out. Laughing softly under her breath, Kagome shook her head. "Usually I would get mad at that, but I am happy to know that after all this time you haven't changed," her hand reached out to cup his cheek, "Kouga."

A huge grin appeared the moment her skin touched his.

"You really are here…" She held back her tears.

Relaxing at her touch, Kouga grabbed her hand into his. A bittersweet moment, but one he knew would have to be kept short. "I'm happy to see you are safe and doing well here. Five hundred years was a long wait, Kagome, too long." He scoffed, "but then again, for you the time was shorter than us, huh?"

"Shorter?" She raised a brow. If only he knew how long her days were knowing she would never again be able to see her friends.

"Geez, the others believed you would come up sooner or later, but I don't think they would believe it had to be under these circumstances."

Kagome blinked again as his words registered in her head. As a breeze softly blew in their direction, her hair swayed to the left as her eyes slowly widened. "The…others?"

His grin softened; his hand gave hers a gentle squeeze. "Let's just say five hundred years is nothing for a demon, Kagome."

"You mean…?"

* * *

Turning the knob to the room, Souma sighed as he walked into the room. "I'm back-oomf!"

"Yukihira!" Skin against skin echoed as everyone in the room chuckled nervously as Souma dropped to the floor from the sudden slap to his cheek. Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, Yoshino shook him back and forth as tears from her stress and anxiety poured out. "You're so damn reckless, Yukihira! We were so worried! We heard you had challenged an alumnus to a Shokugeki, and thought you had both gotten expelled! Now where is Kagome-chan, Yukihira!"

Souma's eyes snapped open, "huh? She's isn't here…?"

Shaking him again, Yoshino dropped him to the floor as the worst possible outcome flashed in her head. "N-No! Don't tell me she was expelled! No!" Jumping into Sakaki's and Megumi's arms, Yoshino let her tears drop like a waterfall. "No! She's is gone!"

"Is she really?" Ibusaki took a step forward as Souma stood up from the ground.

Looking around the room, Souma's brow rose. Kagome should have arrived before him, right? Then, where was she? "I'll go check the lobby!" Giving them a wink, he left the room leaving everyone with more questions than answers.

"A-Ah, Souma-kun!" Megumi called. Shoulders dropped, hoping both of them had good news, but something told her the outcome of the Shokugeki left them with more than just a win or loss.

* * *

As the sliding doors to the entrance of the hotel opened, Kagome sighed while turning off the screen of her phone. She returned with no answers and only a mountain of questions for Kouga.

" _ **Now, do I really want the others to know about me finding you? They will try to hog you."**_

He had said that with annoyance, but no doubt he was trying to humor her about the others.

The others…

A small smile decorated her lips as she thought to the demons that could have survived. Sesshomaru? Shippo? Inuyasha? They had to make it, right? It did not help that Kouga had an incoming call from Dojima calling him again for another important matter. It was a weird sight to see Kouga talking on a cell phone and being a busy man in her era, but it amazed her how quickly demons were able to adapt to the time change. Kouga apologized for cutting their reunion short but promised her he would pay for a lunch so she could ask all she wanted to know. After exchanging phone numbers, Kagome was left to walk the last mile back to the hotel a Kouga went to the other building where meetings were held.

"Maybe I can call him in a bit…?" Before she could turn the screen to her phone on again, her front bumped into hard surface. A few steps were taken back as she rubbed her nose. "O-Oww…ah, s-sor-".

She blinked.

His eyes narrowed.

She blinked again noticing his "rebellious" look of messy black hair with some hair strands framing his face and one in between his eyes, black eye liner under his eyes, and his well-built body.

The glare remained.

Matching his stare, Kagome's brows furrowed with the same level of annoyance. There was a tension already in the air others around could feel and neither of the two had said a word. What the heck was his problem to be glaring at her when she was about to apologize?

"Hmm, you don't look like much."

Kagome snapped out of her glare as his low voice was heard. _'Huh?'_ She blinked as it registered. "Excuse me?!" She exclaimed. She blinked as he saluted her with the same lazy expression.

"Well, sorry about that, but make sure to watch where you are going next time."

The vein popped again on her forehead as he turned around and walked away. What the heck was that supposed to mean? Was that an apology with blame? She took a step forward to stop him from escaping her anger, but her eyes landed on the familiar uniform: Totsuki. "Totsuki?" She whispered. "One of ours?"

So he was a student.

Her eyes narrowed again to match her puffed cheeks full of anger. That just fueled her more.

* * *

Coming out at the ring of the elevator and doors welcoming him to the lobby, Souma blinked right away upon finding the girl in his search. Huh, he did not even have to go and walk to look for her. Had she been there the whole time? Souma scratched the back of his head, _'nah, I came in here and I didn't see her…'._ Noticing her line of sight was directed to the stairs leading to the second floor of the lobby, he followed to see no one there. What had her fuming now?

He made his way forward hoping for the best. "Oi! Kago-chan-!" Souma jumped in his spot the moment Kagome's swiftly turned to his direction with the glare still glued to her eyes. He gulped with a smile as he took a step back. "W-Woah…," he put his hands up in defense, "I-I didn't do it!"

Kagome blinked; her shoulder relaxed. "Ah…Souma-kun?"

"The one and only!" He grinned. "And here I thought you would be here before me but the others told me you still hadn't arrived."

"Ah…yeah…" She laughed nervously. "Kouga…san was telling me a lot of things on our walk here."

Souma's eyes brightened as he leaned forward, bursting into Kagome's bubble. "Any tips on cooking?"

Finger placed on his forehead, she pushed him back for personal space. "Nope, more of him talking about Shinomiya-senpai."

"Senpai?" Souma blinked.

"I recognize him as an elite chef, although his character needs some work. It would not be a bad thing to get some lessons from him though." It was a tough thing to admit, but Shinomiya did know what he was doing, and learning his confidence was key to cooking as well. Curiosity pulled her to Souma' right hand to see a bruise forming on the side of his palm. He did not have a bruise while they cooked, right? Did he hit something coming here?

"So?" Souma spoke again. "What happened to Kouga-senpai?"

"You know, you keep calling him that. I didn't know you were on friendly terms with a guy like him."

"I didn't know either." He grinned. "But we had a bonding moment in the onsen."

She did not even want to know the details of what had occurred in that onsen, but knowing Kouga, he probably had some talk to bond over. Shaking her head, she cracked her neck. "Kouga-san left to speak with Dojima-san on some things. He seemed to be busy…".

Unfortunately.

Souma observed the girl in front of him, wondering what had tuned her down. Once again following her line of sight, he blinked at the other side of the lobby only holding employees and a few guests who were in the middle of checking in. "You alright?" He asked with a raised brow. "You look like you had seen a ghost and still awed by it."

With his laugh echoing in her ears, Kagome could not help but chuckled back.

"I thought I did…"

* * *

 **MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes** : If you are familiar with the next part of Shokugeki no Soma, you know what is next! Don't worry, Kagome and Kouga will talk more in detail, so be patient.

I really do hope you all enjoyed this chapter (and if the meeting between Kagome and Kouga was not to your liking...I am so sorry. I tried, I promise!). _**Please review, it would be much appreciated!** _

Ja~ne!


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